


Something There

by Mad_Rabbit



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: All fluff here bois, F/M, I was supposed to like Asra more but here we are, Lucio is a big dumb goofball, Slight Asra/Apprentice, all mixed into one wonderful goatman, and a little shit, curse you Nix Hydra, mostly Canon I guess??, one-sided of course, sad Asra is sad, very messy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-09-27 08:47:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 28
Words: 24,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20404945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mad_Rabbit/pseuds/Mad_Rabbit
Summary: Messy drabbles I wrote for myself and then decided to post, featuring my apprentice Allora and her insufferable sidekick ghost Lucio as she tries to help him come back to life—and become a less shitty person.Made to fit around an imaginary version of Lucio's route.Name inspired by Beauty and the Beast, because I might as well.





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Just as a warning: while most of these are in more or less chronological order, any new ones I write (if I do) will end up out of place. In that case, I'll try to add a warning at the beginning explaining where they're supposed to fit into.

"Asra?" I call in disbelief. He gives me a wide grin and I can't help but smile back, even in the current circumstances.

"Allora, I'm back! How are things going with your investigation?" He asks as he comes closer to give me a hug. I raise my hands, keeping him away, and the look on his face almost makes me regret it.

"...well, I have good and bad news."

My new ethereal companion decides to take this moment to finally join us.

"Ah, the Magician! Maybe he can help us!" He exclaims to me, and Asra immediately tenses up, gasping.. 

"Oh no…" he mumbles, his face twisting with disgust and horror. "I'm so sorry, Allora… if I hadn't left, maybe he wouldn't have bothered you…"

"Oh no, Asra, this is my doing," I explain, giving him a nervous smile. He raises his brows in confusion. "...well, what better way to investigate a murder than to ask the victim themselves?"

"That  _ is  _ smart thinking, I suppose," he muses, though the worry doesn't leave his face. "But Lucio is a dangerous person, and you really can't take him for his word."

The goatman behind me gasps with displeasure. "What? How dare you! I am the most trustworthy person in the world!"

"I have my doubts about that," I tell him, and before he starts ranting at me I look back to Asra. "Come, let's sit. I'll explain everything to you."

We all retreat into one of the palace's studies, and I look around to make sure Nadia isn't around.  _ 'I'm not sure what she'll think if she finds out her dead husband is now bound to the person investigation his murder _ ', I think to myself. 

Asra looks uncomfortable, which is quite the achievement in itself; he shifts in his seat and keeps glancing towards Lucio with a harsh glare. The goat man, on the other hand, paces around the room, arms crossed, clearly too impatient to sit through the conversation.

"How did this happen, then?", Asra takes no time to ask.

"I decided to check Lucio's room for any clues," Asra shivers in his seat, "and when I got there I found the Count himself—well, his spirit anyway. He refused to answer my questions unless I glamoured him back to his human form," Asra and I both roll our eyes at this, "and so I had to use my blood to bind him to me."

"You did  _ what _ ?" Asra nearly shouts, and I'm surprised to see him look that angry. "Allora, do you realize how dangerous that was?"

"Of course I do. I'm not an idiot, Asra, and I remember what you've taught me. But I had to do it if I wanted to figure out the truth."

He seems at a loss for words, and Lucio decides to join in the conversation.

"Well? Are you two done chatting? Are you going to help me now?"

I sigh and run a hand through my hair, too frustrated after the conversation to deal with the Count's whining. "No, Lucio. You must be patient. Your situation is very complicated and it won't be easy to fix."

He snorts. "I thought you were supposed to be powerful magicians? And yet you can't even do something this simple? Just snap your fingers and bring me back or whatever it is you magic people do!"

I do snap at him, but certainly not my fingers. "It's not 'simple' to bring someone back to life, oh great Count! How about you start trying to help too instead of just sitting on your ass?"

Asra looks bemused, but Lucio… well.

"How DARE you? Are you forgetting who you're talking to?! I'll have you hanged as soon as I come back!"

"Yeah? Well good luck with that, because without our help you're gonna be a smelly old goat for the rest of eternity! Idle threats from a dead brat don't scare me!"

Asra bursts out laughing and Lucio stares at both of us, absolutely livid.

"YOU, YOU—"

"Oh, Asra. You have arrived. I hope it was a safe journey?" The countess' calm voice joins in, instantly deflating the room's energy. Asra recomposes himself, clearing his throat.

"Uh, yes, I did. Thank you Nadia." He turns to me with a careful glance. "I believe Allora has some news for you regarding the investigation."

"Oh?" She turns to me, her eyes wide and hopeful. "What have you found?"

' _ your dead bratty husband _ ', I want to say. Before answering her, I turn to look at said husband. He seems conflicted between his anger at us and his excitement at seeing Nadia.

"I believe I have managed to make contact with the Count."

She gasps, a smile forming on her lips. "Why, that is wonderful news! Has he told you anything helpful?"

"...I'm afraid he's too preoccupied with other matters." She seems to catch my meaning quickly.

"That does sound like him. Don't be afraid to put him is his place, Allora. He can't harm you now."

"Noddy! Even you?" He pleads at her, sounding defeated. Asra manages to hide his smirk pretty well.

"Don't worry, Nadia. It seems like she won't have any trouble with that part."

"Is that so?" She hums with a small smile. "Is he here now?"

"Yes, he is." 

She looks around the room, eyes filled with curiosity. "Lucio? Can you hear me?"

He sighs. "Yes, Noddy. Though you can't."

"He can hear you, countess. But I'm afraid you won't be able to hear him." She furrows her brows.

"I see. Well. Lucio, please do not make Allora's job harder than it has to be. Remember that she is doing this to give us some closure over what happened." 

He snorts, and I remember an important piece of information he  _ did _ share.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Nadia, Lucio did tell me something important."

"Yes? What is it?"

"Julian Devorak did not kill him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy this lil mess o'mine! For transparency, I have 23 chapters written so far, though some of them are unfinished. I'll try to post a few per day, but please bear with me!


	2. First Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place in the same day as the first one.

"Maybe this isn't so bad after all," Lucio muses as I walk back to my room after explaining what I knew to the countess, "I got a cute sidekick and now Noddy can't look at me with that mean stare of hers."

"First of all, thank you for the cute part but if anyone is the sidekick here, it's you. Second of all, I thought you'd be more upset over not being able to talk to your wife."

I sit in my bed, stretching my limbs, and he sits next to me, toying with the covers. 

"Well, to be honest, Noddy and I weren't in the best terms when I… you know." He runs a finger to his throat and sticks his tongue out. "we were never all that close, but I guess seeing me sick must've really upset her or something." 

' _ or maybe it was because you were probably being even more of a pain in the ass than usual _ ', I thought. But the other part of what he said confused me. "So you two were not… intimate?"

He snorts. "Not at all. I mean, not that I didn't want to but… I don't know. She never really seemed into me, for some reason." His utter shock at that made me want to laugh, but I figured this wasn't the right moment.

"Maybe you can start things over, if we do manage to bring you back," he looks at me with expectant eyes. "I said  _ if _ . And that's a pretty big  _ if _ ."

He huffs, crossing his arms. "I don't know. To be frank, I don't really think this whole marriage thing suits me. With so many hot people hopelessly in love with me out there, why would I stay with one?"

It's my turn to snort. "I'm pretty sure most of those people are mostly interested in your status."

"What? Why would you say that? I have lots of great qualities that would make anyone fall for me!"

"This might come as a shock to you, Lucio, but you're not really...a pleasant person." Needless to say, he  _ is _ shocked. "Sure, you might be courageous and strong or whatever, and I suppose you are a good looking guy," he beams at me, and I roll my eyes, "but you can be pretty difficult."

"What? That's preposterous! I'm very easy! I'm the easiest person in the world!" 

I chuckle at his words and he stares at me angrily. "That's because you're seeing it from your own perspective. To the people around you, it's a whole other thing. You might think you're being really nice, but it doesn't mean you actually are."

"What are you saying?"

I sigh. "I'm saying you need to be more thoughtful, Lucio. More empathetic."

"What does that even mean?"

"That you need to stop thinking only about yourself and think of the people around you too." 

"But I already do that!"

"I really don't think you do." 

He seems frustrated, but for once he doesn't yell at me. Surprisingly, he actually seems to take my criticism in and ponder on it. I smile, happy that he at least heard me.

"Alright, I think that's enough talking for one day. I need to sleep."

"Would you like some company?" He asks with a smirk and a wiggle of his eyebrows, and I roll my eyes.

"Lucio, you're literally a ghost. Keep it in your pants."

"Then what will I do?" He asks, and he sounds so dejected that I actually feel sorry for him.

"I'm not sure. I don't think you can stray too far from me. Maybe you could try finding Mercedes and Melchior again. They'll keep you company, right? Or you could try following one of the servants around and seeing what they do every—"

"I'll get the dogs," he says and runs off, ignoring my educational advice. I chuckle, removing my shoes and tucking myself into bed, too tired to even change. It doesn't take long before I fall into a thankfully peaceful slumber.

I awake a few hours later at the sound of barking. Without opening my eyes, I hear Lucio shushing the dog.

"Don't be noisy, Mercedes, Allora is asleep." I smile at his words, warmed by the fact that he actually seems to care. "If she doesn't get a good night of sleep, she'll be cranky and then she won't want to help me." The warmth quickly deflates and I shift around and go back to sleep.


	3. Snowball Fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place while they're lost in the magical realms.

It feels like it's been days since we got separated from Asra and got lost in this winter nightmare. Thankfully, neither of us can feel cold or hungry, but we sure can feel extremely bored and exhausted.

"Does this place ever end?" Lucio whines, dragging his feet towards me. We walk through the forest until our feets are tired or we get attacked, rest for a moment, and then start over again. It's making both of us moody, but it's our only chance.

"I don't know. Maybe if we die," I answer, too tired to think. 

"Hey, you can't die. What will I do without your beautiful face to brighten my day?" He says playfully, and I glare at him, surprised he even has the energy to say something like that.

"Lucio, do you never get tired of flirting with everyone?"

"I would never get tired of flirting with you, babe," he replies quickly, and I grunt.

"Seriously, though. Why are you always doing that?"

He stops in his tracks, pouting, and I take the opportunity to sit under a nearby tree.

"Well, what else do I got to do in a place like this? At least it keeps me distracted."

"Is there  _ nothing else _ you can possibly do to distract yourself, though?"

"Oho, believe me, I can think of a lot more we could do for distraction," he exclaims, wiggling his brows, and I throw a snowball at him.

"Oh my God, stop that!" I shout at him, and he yells when the snowball hits his bare chest.

"Hey! Now I have snow under my clothes!"

"Whatever. That's what you get for walking out with a neckline that low." He gasps, but I ignore him, closing my eyes for a moment to try and regain my energy. It's quiet for a moment—way too quiet as a matter of fact, and just as I begin to open my eyes to see whatever mess he's doing, he throws a thick, heavy snowball straight into my face.

"Hah! Serves you right for messing with me!" He shouts triumphantly, and I grunt loudly.

"Oh my God Lucio you ABSOLUTE CHILD!" I shout, lifting myself up to throw a snowball back at him. We keep going like this for a few minutes, and quickly it turns from a fight to a playful match, both of us laughing and chasing after each other. I will admit Lucio manages to catch me far more times than I him, but it's not really fair to pit a mage against a hunter.

I take a deep breath, pooling my strength before I throw another snowball at him, which he easily ducks.

"Missed me!" He teases with a wide, childlike grin, and I smile back at him for a moment, until I notice the snow behind him raise far above his head.

"Lucio…" I mumble, in horror, and he snorts.

"I'm not falling for your tricks, mage! I'm far too good for—" he turns his head at the last minute, right as the beast shakes the snow off of itself and roars angrily at us.

"Run!" I scream, bolting away from the creature.

"No way!" He shouts back, pulling out his sword. "How dare you spoil our fun, you horrible beast?"

"Lucio, no!" I call, but he ignores me, charging towards it. I curse under my breath, preparing my spells so I can help him.

I mostly serve as distraction, drawing the beast away from him so he can slash at it wherever possible. I can't help but notice how he seems to be having just as much fun fighting the monster as he was having with our snowball fight. ' _ What a strange person _ ', I think to myself. 

It doesn't take much longer before the beast is tired out and Lucio strikes the final blow.

"There! And stay dead!" He exclaims dramatically towards the carcass, and I raise my eyebrows.

"Y'know, I thought such a great hunter as yourself would've been able sense a monster so close to us?"

"What?" He asks, surprised, turning towards me. "Hey, that's your fault! You distracted me!"

"Surely if you were so great just a simple snowball wouldn't throw you off the scent?" I tease, and he narrows his eyes with a smirk.

"Oh, you little rascal…" he throws another snowball at me and I gasp, but can't help the smile that forms on my face.

"No! Not again!"

"Oooh yes!" He throws more snowballs at me, and I giggle, trying to run from him.

_ Hey, maybe the Count isn't so bad after all. _


	4. Child(hood)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Think of this as a possible continuation of chapter 2's paid scene about his childhood.

We walk deeper and deeper into the cave, and I'm surprised at how much it seems to change the further we go in, the walls turning from green to purple, and then blue. Lucio barely notices, too focused on his childhood memories. Suddenly, he gasps in excitement and runs off in front of me, stopping at a particular spot in the cave wall.

"Hey, I don't remember this being here! Cool!" He exclaims. "Allora, come check this out!"

I slowly move to his side, taking in the plant life around us before finally turning towards whatever he's seeing.

My eyebrows raise when I notice the wall before us, so polished and clear that I can see myself reflected in it. Lucio makes poses at himself, as if standing before a mirror, and i watch him for a moment, smiling at his antics. My smile drops when I notice a smaller figure in the reflection, standing just left of him.

There's a child.

I scream in surprise, taking a few steps back, and Lucio turns to me with a worried and confused expression, before the child behind him screams as well.

"Ah!! What the heck?! Where did you two come from?!"

Lucio spins around to face him and they stare in shock for a moment before pointing at each other.

"Are you me??" They both manage to scream at the same time, and I'm left dumbfounded, only now noticing the similarities; the same sharp grey eyes and unruly blond hair. The child is dressed in tribal, red clothes, and seems to be missing one of his front teeth.

He smiles widely at Lucio, who's still in shock. "Hey, I look pretty cool in the future! What's that golden arm for?" He speaks with a light lisp, possibly caused my the missing tooth, and pokes and prods at Lucio's metallic arm. I can't help but smile at the scene, and Lucio finally seems to come back to his senses.

"Damn right, I'm cool!" He shoots back, kneeling so that his child self can get a better look at the arm. "What do you think it's for? For fighting monsters, of course!"

"Wow! That's awesome!"

"Glad to see you haven't changed much," I tease, and Lucio turns to face me with furrowed brows.

"You can understand him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're both speaking in my native dialect. Do you speak it too?" He asks with a bewildered expression and I can't help but mimic it.

"No? To me, you're both speaking the common tongue."

"What? That doesn't make any sense!"

"We're in a magical realm, Lucio. Real world laws don't apply."

"Who's the lady? Is she our girlfriend?" Child Lucio asks, looking between me and Lucio, who laughs at him and winks at me.

"I wish. Nah, she's our cool magician sidekick!"

Child Lucio gasps in wonder, turning towards me. "Wow! You can do magic?" 

I nod, laughing at his excitement.

"Who would've thought Count Lucio was this cute once." They both pout at the same time, and I laugh out loud.

"I'm not cute! I'm handsome!" The child states, and the adult agrees. "Why does she keep calling you 'Lucio' anyway?" He asks, his pronunciation of the name coming off strange.

Licios mood changes very quickly and he suddenly looks very nervous and uncomfortable. I can't help but furrow my brows at the child's question. 

"U-uh, that's because…That's our name?"

"I'm gonna change my name? Why?" Child Lucio looks very confused. "It doesn't even sound as cool as Mon—"

Lucio covers his mouth before he can finish, giving me a nervous laugh. "Don't mind him. Kids, y'know."

"Your real name isn't Lucio?" I ask him, watching the way he effortlessly contains his child self in his grasp.

"Uh, long story. Not a good one to tell while stuck in a magical realm. Maybe some other time, yeah,?"

I nod slowly, still very curious, and child Lucio takes the opportunity to bite Lucio's finger.

"Ah! You damn brat, what do you think you're doing?!"

"What do  _ you _ think you're doing? You can't shush me, you're not Mama!" He blinks twice, as if suddenly realizing something, and then opens his mouth wide with a scream. "MAMAAAAAAA!"

Lucio shrieks, once again grabbing the child and holding his hand over his mouth.

"Oh no, there's no way I'm talking to Ma again, even if it's just spirit Ma!"

The child struggles in his hold, kicking until Lucio let's go. He then sticks his tongue out at both of us before running off towards the entrance.

"How dare you, you little shit?" Lucio screams at him.

"Did you really just refer to yourself as 'little shit'?" I ask before snorting. "Did the magical realm just make you come your senses?"

He narrows his eyes at me before finally standing up and dusting himself off. "Come on, let's go get him."

"Something tells me we won't find him," i tell him, and he furrows his brows. "This sort of thing doesn't normally happen, Lucio.  _ You _ probably made it happen."

"Me?" He scoffs, holding onto my hand again as we make our way back to the entrance, "why would I summon a kid version of myself?"

"Probably because you were feeling nostalgic."

"Huh," he says simply, eyebrows furrowed. "I don't remember being that annoying." I can't go but laugh.

"Probably because you were busy, being annoying."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nix Hydra, give us a child!Lucio you cowards.
> 
> In case you're curious, I HC that Lucio's tribe has their own language, that sounds similar to a German dialect.


	5. Danger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was written before the third chapter came out, so think of it as a replacement for the wyrm scene I guess?

The path before us splits in two and me and Lucio trade looks.

"What now?" I ask, and he scratches his chin before shrugging.

"You go one way, I go the other, we meet back here after about… 5 minutes and pick one to go?"

"How will we know 5 minutes have passed?"

"I don't know. Just count it or something."

I sigh. "Alright, and what if there's danger?"

"Shout as loud as you can!" He exclaims with a smile, running off before I can say anything else. Huffing, I follow the other route. 

The forest here is dark and foreboding, and I can't help but feel alarmed, head turning at every noise I hear. Suddenly, I hear a low growl not too far, in the woods to my left.  _ Oh no _ . Not taking a chance, I decide to run back to Lucio, but before I can, the large creature blocks my path, giving me a murderous look. It looks something like a boar, but much, much bigger. Cursing under my breath, I run at the opposite direction, trying to scream for Lucio as I go, but my voice seems to be muffled by the trees.  _ Just great _ . 

Desperate, I start hurling fireballs at the creature, but it either ignores them or avoids them completely. Changing my strategy, I turn to face it and pool all of my magic to direct a beam of light at him. The spell hits him and causes him to stagger back, but he looks more pissed off than anything.

The creature howls a terrifying sound at me and I run from it as fast as I can, the adrenaline ringing in my ears. After the last spell, I'm completely out of magic and it will take a long time before I can do anything. We enter a thicker part of the forest, the low hanging branches of the trees hitting against my face. I try to brush them away, gazing back every now again to see how the beast is fairing. I must have injured myself at some point, because there is blood falling into my left eye, making it harder to see where I'm going. My only hope now is to outrun it—which seems very unlikely, considering the size and speed of the beast— or run into Lucio—also unlikely. Before either can happen, I trip myself on a thick, sturdy tree root and end up falling to the ground. Much to my horror, I feel the immense pain flaring up as my leg begins to bleed. I try to lift myself up desperately when I see the beast approaching, but there's no use. The movement only shoots more pain out of the wound. 

Panicking, I try to think of anything that might help me handle the situation. Remembering Lucio's bond, I close my eyes and try to visualize it in front of me; a thick, shiny chain coming out of me and reaching out to wherever he is. Desperate, I pull on it as hard as I can, hoping he'll be able to sense it.  _ Please Lucio _ , I try to reach him,  _ please, I need help. _

I open my eyes again and scream in terror as I see the beast closing in on me, my eyes watering with the terrible stench of it's breath as it opens up it's mouth in what almost looks like a grin. My heart starts pounding painfully against my chest as I begin to cry, losing all hope of getting away.

Suddenly, I see a flash of white and gold coming towards my right and running towards the beast. His arm seems to shine an angry red as he roars at it.

"HOW DARE YOU?" he screams as he lunges towards the creature, hacking away at it with his sword. It turns away from me with another howl, moving to face Lucio, who barely seems to care as he keeps attacking it mercilessly. "HOW DARE YOU HURT HER, YOU DISGUSTING WASTE OF FLESH?!"

The beast tries to lunge at him but he simply holds it back with his metal arm. His face is contorted with fury as he keeps driving his sword into the creature as many times as possible, blood gushing out from it's wounds and staining his clothes. "I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU!"

The beast releases painful sounds as Lucio's attacks begin to weaken it, but he doesn't stop. Even after it's already dead he's still lunging at it, the same furious look on his face.

"Stop, it's already dead," I call to him, and he does, his arms trembling as he tries to catch his breath. It still takes a few seconds for him to break out of his bloodlust, and the he turns to me with a scowl.

"Why the hell did you run off on your own?!" He screams at me, and I'm shocked at his words.

"Because you told me to!" I shoot back, my voice cracking. He grunts angrily, kicking at the beast's corpse.

"Well you should've said no!"

He turns away for a moment, recomposing himself. When he's calmed a bit, he comes close to me. "Can you stand?"

"No", I tell him, showing the wound on my leg. "I think it's broken."

"Fucking shit," he curses at no one in particular, and without any warning he picks me up and starts carrying me back towards the place we were supposed to meet at. He glances at me now and again, a mix of anger and worry on his face. He wipes out some of the blood off my eye with his finger, trying to take a good look at the wound. It burns slightly as he touches it, but nothing unbearable.

"Doesn't look too bad," he notes, trying to keep my damp hair out of my face. "Why didn't you just heal yourself?"

"I'm out of magic. I exhausted myself trying to attack it." 

He grimaces for a moment. "Just great," I hear him mutter under his breath. 

When we finally reach our objective, he sits me down softly to look at the wound on my leg. It's not bleeding anymore, but still pulsates with pain everytime he moves it to take a better look.

"How long is it gonna take before you've got your magic back?" He asks with a scowl, and I sigh, trying to calm my nerves.

"It depends. Generally it takes a few hours, but I think it might go faster here."

"Great, because I have no idea how to deal with this while we're in the spirit realm or whatever."

"Magic realm," I correct, and he sighs, sitting beside me. Only now do I realize how quiet and serious he's been since finding me. "Are you okay?"

He seems taken aback by the question. "Me? Yeah, of course. You're the one who's injured."

"You're too quiet."

"Yeah, well being stranded in another world with a crippled magician does that to you. If you died there, I'd be stuck here forever."

"I suppose that's true. Did you find a way out of the forest?"

"Oh, yeah. Nearly forgot." He stands up and starts pacing around the small clearing. "There's a path through that way. We'll go once you can heal yourself."

It takes a while before I feel strong enough to use my powers, and in the meanwhile we're both quiet. Lucio seems tired and stressed, veering off into the woods for a bit before returning back. I want to start up a conversation, but am honestly too exhausted myself.

"I think I'm good to go now," I tell him as I place my hand over the injuries, a soft glow coming out from under my hand as they heal. He steps closer to me, sighing in relief.

"Finally. Come on, let's get out of this place."

"Do you want me to help you clean up?" I ask, pointing to the blood on his clothes, and he smirks.

"Sure, babe. Place your little hands on me all you want." 

I glare at him, raising my hand to cast a wind spell on his clothes that wipes all the blood out. 

"Aw, you're no fun."


	6. Privacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a replacement for the paid berries scene I suppose.

Now that we're out of the snowy forest, Lucio's mood seems to improve quickly. 

"Are you hungry? I'm hungry," he remarks suddenly, and I furrow my brows at him.

"You're not supposed to be," I tell him, and he makes a confused face. "It's a magical realm, Lucio. If you're hungry, it's because you've convinced yourself you are."

"Does that mean that we also 'told ourselves' that we were tired, back in the forest?" 

I blink at him. "Oh. I guess? I didn't think about that."

He glares at me for a moment. "Whatever. I'm gonna get some food. Try not to get attacked by any monster while I'm gone."

"I'll try my best," I shoot back sourly, sitting against the short grass and watching as he leaves. 

In the few minutes he's gone, I manage to fall asleep, slowly sprawling myself over the grass. I wake up at the sound of his feet when he returns.

"You look really cute, sleeping on the grass like that," he says with a smirk, and I roll my eyes as I sit up. 

"Did you get your food?"

"Yup," he answers, raising a hand full of small, red berries for to see. I furrow my eyebrows as he brings one close to his mouth.

"How do you know that's not poisonous?"

He stops in his tracks, mouth still open, and raises an eyebrow. "Are there poisonous berries in the magical realm?"

"I… don't know," I admit, and he shrugs.

"Nah, they're not. Just regular berries."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I told myself they are," he jokes with a pleased expression, and though I glare at him I also smile. "I recognize these. Used to eat them a lot after I left the tribe."

"Left the tribe?" I ask, and his eyes go wide before he stuffs all of the berries in his mouth at once.

"Whoopsh, can't shalk!" He mumbles, and I huff.

"Fine, keep your secrets."

He gives me a teasing look before swallowing. "Aren't you nice. Here, let me reward you." He pulls me close to him, smirking as he leans in towards my face. I can smell the sweet scent of the berries in his breath. 

"No!" I exclaim, pulling away. He furrows his brows, looking perplexed.

"What? Why not?"

"I'm not like you. I can't just kiss random people like that. I have to be comfortable with them first."

"Babe, I'm nothing if not accommodating," he teases, and I give him a harsh look.

"No, goatman. My lips, my rules. If I say no, then it's a no."

He huffs, pulling away. "Fine, you prude. No great Lucio kisses for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was looking through what I've already written I realized that I don't have a lot of drabbles before the two of them become romantically involved, so if any of you guys wanna give some ideas, I'd really appreciate it! I can't promise I'll use them, but I'd be really grateful nevertheless!


	7. Chores

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set sometime after they make it out of the magic realm.

It's a warm, sunny afternoon, and all three of us are outside of the shop, hanging out clothes to dry. Though for most this is a boring, time-consuming task, Asra and I always found it enjoyable. He hums while picking up another piece of clothing and I join in, recognizing the song. We trade smiles, and soon after we're both singing, pretending to dance now and then and laughing at each other.

"Are you two insane?" Lucio asks, bewildered, from his place at the doorsteps. "How can you be enjoying this? It sucks!"

"With that mentality, sure," Asra shoots back, not even turning his back. "I'm not sure why you're complaining so much though, you're literally not doing anything."

"You know what?" I start, a cunning idea sprouting in my head. "Asra has a point. Maybe we should teach you a lesson in humility, Count."

"I—what? What are you trying to say?"

Asra and I trade mischievous looks.

"You heard the lady, get your butt here."

"Hey, don't speak about my butt like that!"

"Just come here, Lucio."

A few minutes later and I'm the one sitting by the doorsteps, watching happily as Lucio hangs one of my wet skirts at the clothesline.

"This is fucking ridiculous! I'm the Count! Why am I hanging some peasant's clothes?!" Lucio whines. Asra comes back outside with two glasses of ice-cold lemonade. He sits beside me, sighing pleasantly.

"Because these peasants are going to save your royal butt, your lordship." He hands me one of the glasses and we trade innocent smiles. "I must say, the view is quite nice from here." I hum in agreement, and Lucio turns to see what we're looking at. Which is him, hanging our laundry for us.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you two!"

I chuckle, clinking my drink with Asra before taking a sip. "Good luck with that, goatman."


	8. Chores (pt. 2)

****

"Are you two seriously gonna make me do your chores for you?" Lucio whines while doing the dishes. "I thought you were supposed to be helping me!"

Asra is busy organizing things at the shop counter, but he still raises his head to glare at him. "We  _ are _ helping you. We're taking on the arduous task of teaching you how to be a decent human being."

"First of all, that's not what you were hired to do, and second of all, how the hell is doing dishes going to make me a better person?"

"By showing you what your servants have to go through everyday, Lucio," I tell him, still focused on the herb mixture I'm making. "Maybe that'll teach you to be kinder to them."

"What? They're paid to do all that! It's their job!" He shoots back, shaking his wet hands with disgust. 

"If that was all that they had to do, maybe it wouldn't be so bad," Asra explains, leaning on the counter. "But it isn't, is it? They also have to put up with you."

"Would you be willing to work, even if you were getting paid, if you had to have someone like yourself as boss?" I chime in.

He snorts. "Someone as great and powerful as me? Of course I would! It would be an honor! And besides, I'm the greatest boss in the world!"

I narrow my eyes, turning to look at Asra. "I think we'll have to increase the dosage."

"Yes, seems like it."

"What? No! What are you going to do?"

"Show you exactly what they have to put up with working for you, is what."

"What does that mean?" He asks, but the horrified look in his face proves he knows  _ exactly _ what I mean.

"Time to go full spoiled brat."

The next morning, Lucio starts his work day by making breakfast for all of us.

"What? But I barely know to cook!"

"Figure it out, your highness!" Asra exclaims, shoving the apron against Lucio's chest. It's clear as day that he's having the time of his life torturing the Count. "And may I add, if it tastes bad, you're gonna have to start all over!"

Lucio whines for a moment, trying to think of something to say, but gives up and turns towards the stove with an angry grunt.

"Oh, when I have my body back, you'll both see…" he whispers under his breath. I raise an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, what was that? Are you complaining?" I ask loudly. "You'd better not be, because there are many ways we can make this even worse!"

"It's all dandy, magician! Don't worry about it!" He shoots back through gritted teeth, cracking the eggs so aggressively that half of the egg whites land on his face. Asra and I share a laugh before continuing our task of setting the table.

We end up eating overcooked eggs with a side of burnt bacon.

"Are you serious? You call this food?" Asra asks, feigning shock, after taking a bite.

"I did my best, okay? I told you I can't cook!" Lucio shoots back, pouting and crossing his arms. 

Asra narrows his eyes, but I place a hand on his arm and he backs off. "I suppose this will have to do."

After that, we put Lucio to work helping us replenish and categorize all the ingredients in the store. He whines a lot, but thankfully this is a task even he can't mess up —apart from the fact that he can't recognize a single thing and needs my help to sort through them. When we're done, he drops himself on the couch next to Asra, who is chopping up pieces of an apple.

"Who said you were done?" He asks Lucio, giving him a blank look. Lucio stares back in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?! That took two hours out of my life!"

"You're not alive, Count. Plus, I have more work for you." He plops his feet on the coffee table as he eats one of the apple slices, his eyes never leaving Lucio's face. "Massage my feet."

" _ What _ ?!"

"Asra.." I cut in, giving him a look, but he shakes his head.

"No, Allora. This is exactly the way he treats his servants. Like they're nothing more than tools to make his life easier." He turns back to Lucio with a frown. "Come now, I'm waiting."

"This is a fucking joke!" Lucio shouts, standing back to to glare at Asra. "Ghost or not, I'm still your Count, not your manservant! I'm not here to take orders, I'm here to  _ give _ them! I'll do no such thing!" He rants angrily, face all red. Asra, on the other hand, narrows his eyes, giving him a dark look. "If you expect us to help, Lucio, than you'll do exactly as we say," he sneers, "or do you want to back to sulking alone on your decaying bedroom?"

Lucio gives him a murderous look and I decide it's time to jump in.

"Alright, that's enough you two. Asra, you're going too far. No one deserves to be treated like that, not even him." Lucio quickly turns towards me, but I shut him off. "Lucio, we're doing our best to find a way to bring you back, but in the meantime we're trying to make sure that if we  _ do _ bring you back, that we're bringing back a Count worthy of ruling Vesuvia." He still seems angry, but I continue. "I'm not sure if you're aware, but Nadia is doing a fine job at keeping everyone happy. The town is prospering, trade has never been better and there's been no other disease outbreak since she took your place. So if you're going to take it back, you'd better be ready to do as good of a job as she is."

He seems taken aback, and the room is quiet for a moment, until he grunts, crossing his arms. "Geez, you're worse than my mother. I would've had a better time seeking help from the Dev—" he cuts himself short, eyes going wide, but it's not hard to surmise what he was going to say. I narrow my eyes at him.

"Start talking. Now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah I'm not gonna actually approach the subject of Licios deal with the Devil, but it's implied they discussed it after this.   
I feel like in the actual route of will come up much sooner though.


	9. Illness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a sick fic? I guess?

"Wow, you look like shit," Lucio comments, brows raised, as I sit down at the table. I try to sigh, but it turns into a cough. 

"Thanks Lucio."

As soon as Asra hears me coughing, he sprints towards me, a worried look on his face. "Allora, are you okay? What are you feeling?" He almost sounds frantic, and I furrow my brows when he places a warm hand over my forehead.

"It's just a cold, don't worry about it." As if on cue, my nose starts running. 

"Ew! That's disgusting!"

"Being sick is never pretty, goatman."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I was still very handsome when I was sick."

Asra snorts, moving away from me to inspect our herb deposit. "No you really weren't." Before Lucio can protest he continues, rummaging through the drawers. "Damn it, were out of Echinacea…" he turns back to me, "stay here, I'm gonna go to the market and see if I can find some more. I'll be right back."

"Asra, it's really not that bad, there's no need—" before I can finish, he's already left. I sigh, dropping my head on the table. Lucio pokes at my cheek with his finger.

"Hey, don't go dying on me. I can't lose my magician."

"I'm not gonna die, idiot. It's just a cold. Don't be dramatic."

He huffs, looking around the room with an uncomfortable expression. I stare at him, a thought suddenly coming to my mind.

"Lucio, how did it feel? Having the plague, I mean?"

He turns to me with a horrified look. "Really? You're gonna ask me about  _ that _ ?"

"I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." I run a finger through the wood lines of the table, head still resting against it. "I'm just curious, that's all. I don't remember anything about that time, and so many people died because of it…"

He crosses his arm and scratches at his metal arm, but it looks more like he's hugging himself. He looks very tense, and though I'm still curious I feel bad for asking him about it. "I'm sorry if I upset you,"

"No, no, it's fine. I just…" he clenches his jaw, looking at anything but me. "I just don't like remembering it." He runs a hand through his hair before resting his head on his hand. "I don't remember much either, to be honest. Most of the time I had too much of a fever to even think." I nod, and he furrows his eyebrows before continuing, "but I do remember how much light hurt my eyes. It's like they were burning. I was so weak, I could barely do anything. I spent most of my time stuck in bed," he sighs, and I can see his eyes going dark. "By the time Nadia, Julian and Asra left…"

"What? What do you mean, left?" I ask him in disbelief. He nods, a sour look on his face.

"Yeah, when I started getting sicker they planned a little 'vacation' and left." He smiles, but I can see the hurt in his eyes. "I guess they couldn't handle being around me."

"That's so awful… no one deserves to be treated like that."

"Right?" He agreed, face full of anguish. "I mean, I know I was kinda being a pain in the ass, but goddammit, I just wanted some of their attention! I just… didn't want to be alone." He looks so torn, and I can see tears threatening to spill from his eyes. I reach for hand, and he squeezes it without even noticing. "Everytime they were around me they always had this look on their faces… like they couldn't wait for me to drop dead."

"Oh, Lucio…" I scuttle closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"It was horrible," he sniffs, eyes distant. "I never want to go through that again."

"I don't think there's much chance of you catching the plague  _ twice _ , Lucy."

He snorts, before turning quickly to me. "Did you just call me Lucy?"

"I did, yes."

He glares at me like I've gone insane. "Don't do that. Ever again."

"I'll think about it," I tease, rubbing my head on the soft fur of his cape. He snorts again.

"Ew. Stop. You're gonna get snot all over me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read somewhere that Nadia and the others went on a vacation while he was sick. I'm not sure where they got that because I couldn't find any mention of it anywhere, but I just ran with it because angst.


	10. Inquiries

"Can't you just use your magic to sniff him out or something?" Lucio asks impatiently, and I sigh.

"You really don't get how magic works, do you?" I massage my brows, trying to think. "I don't know Julian, and he doesn't have any magic, so I can't sense that either."

"So you're like a dog? You need to know his scent first?"

"I could do without the dog comparison but yes, essentially that's how it works." Looking around us, I notice a dingy little bar, almost hidden between the houses surrounding it. "Lets try asking around over there."

"You're going to the Rowdy Raven? Really?" He snorts, but I pay him no mind, already walking towards the bar. "I don't think you'll get anything out of that place other than a hangover."

The small little room the bar is comprised has a heavy smell of sweat and alcohol, and I turn my nose, trying not to focus on the obviously drunk men around me. I move towards the bar, mouth already open to ask the owner a question, when Lucio pokes at my shoulder.

"As it turns out, we won't even need to ask." I turn to him with a confused expression and follow his eyes to a table at a corner on the back of the room. A man with unruly copper hair and black clothes sits there, moping. "Ah, Jules. Not very creative, are you?"

I approach his table and as soon as I'm within hearing distance he shoots his head back, a terrified expression in his face. I watch his mood quickly change as he sits taller and gives me a cocky smile.

"The Countess sent you after me, huh? We'll go ahead, magician, I'm not stopping you."

"I didn't come here to arrest you, Julian," I tell him, looking around me before sitting by his table. "And the Countess already knows you didn't do it anyway."

"What? How could she know that?" He asks with a bewildered expression.

"Well, let's say I have a…First hand account of the event," I say, ignoring Lucio's cries of 'tell him about me'. Again, the doctor's face changes in a wide array of emotions, going from surprised to horrified and then to fascinated.

"Did  _ you _ kill him?" He asks, in awe, and I slap a hand across my forehead.

"No, Julian…" with a frustrated sigh, I stand back up. "Look, we shouldn't talk here. We need to go somewhere more private." 

The doctor stands up after me, nodding as he thinks. "A friend of mine lives nearby. We could go there."

"Lead on, then."

"Why didn't you tell him about me?" Lucio whines as soon as we leave the bar, and I huff.

"Telling a murder suspect that the guy he's suspected to have killed is actually still alive and kicking in front of a room full of people isn't really a good idea, Lucio."

He pouts for a moment and I enjoy the silence, the night wind sending a pleasant breeze over us.

"Not the smartest, that one," Lucio remarks with a smirk as we follow Julian through the streets. I give him a sharp glare.

"He's still a doctor. At the very least, he's probably smarter than you."

He gasps with an undignified expression, but I just pres on until I'm side by side with Julian. He gives me a hesitant look from the corner of his eyes before clearing his throat.

"So, you're working for the palace now?"

"Temporarily. The Countess asked for my help with the investigation." He hums in reply.

"Is Asra helping too?"

"Well, yes and no. Someone has to take care of the shop after all."

"True." He stops in front of a simple, unassuming wooden door. "Alright, here we are."

The house is small, but cozy. The main room serves as a living area and kitchen, and there's a curtain to the right where I guess the bedroom is. Julian sits by a small table tucked against the wall just left to the door, and I join him.

"So, what secrets do you have to share?" He asks, eyes glinting with excitement.

"Finally!  _ Now _ tell him about me." Lucio complains before I can even get a word out. I glare at him.

"Impatience won't get you anywhere. Keep quiet while the non-ghost adults talk, alright?" I ignore his displeased face and turn back to Julian, who stares at me in shock. He reaches his arm across the table to rest a hand on my forehead.

"Are you sick? Is that why you came to see me?"

Grunting loudly, I shoo his hand away. "No, doctor! I came to tell you that the ghost of the Count is following me!" He looks just as worried, if not more, and I drop my head on the table with a whine. "Lucio, do something ghostly, will you?"

"It'll be my pleasure," Lucio shoots back with a grin, leaning against the counter to tap against a ceramic cup, knocking it off the counter. It falls to the ground and shatters, making Julian shoot up from his chair with a horrified scream. 

I smack my hand against my face again.  _ Why do I have to put up with these idiots? _

"You didn't have to break anything, goatman!"

Lucio gives me a sour face, now sitting on the counter with legs crossed. "You asked me to do something ghostly! Is there anything more ghostly than breaking something?"

Julian crouched next to the shattered pieces of the cup and gives me a horrified expression. "He's really here, isn't he?" I nod, and he clears his throat, regaining his composure. "I'm not afraid of you, Count! I won't let you harm her, you hear me?" He proclaims loudly, pacing around the room and staring at nowhere. I drag my hand down my face, already feeling a headache coming.

"He's not here to harm anyone, Julian. Quite the opposite actually, he wants his body back."

"Oh," Julian says simply, blinking a few times before sitting back down across from me. "Y'know, medicine is great and all, but I can't help with  _ that _ ."

"I'm well aware, doctor. I came here to ask about the plague, and to understand why you thought you had killed him." He seems surprised for a moment, puffing his hair away from his face as he thinks.

"I'm not sure how much I can help you with those questions, unfortunately… you see, I seem to be missing some of my memories." I raise my eyebrows at him.

"Really? You too?"

"Huh? You're also having those?" I nod, and he hums in thought. "That's very strange…"

"Hey, you two, you're supposed to be talking about  _ me _ !"

"Shush, Lucio. Julian, what  _ do _ you remember?"

"Well, I remember finding myself in the Count's chambers and watching as he burned to death. I figured I must've been the one to do it, so i ran off."

"So you just stood there and watched me burn?!" Lucio shouts angrily, even though Julian obviously can't hear him. "What a damn good friend you were, Jules!"

"It was magical fire, what did you expect him to do?"

"He should've at least tried!"

I sigh again, and Julian leans closer. 

"How the hell did you end up stuck with him, anyway?"

"Long story. He's tied to me and has to follow me around. Let's leave it at that." I close my eyes and take a deep breath before continuing. "Which leads me to the other question. I want you to tell us more about how the plague affected the city. Whatever you got."

He blinks slowly, clearly confused. "What for?"

"Because she wants to guilt trip me!" Lucio calls from the other side of the room, and I ignore him.

"Because I want him to hear what his people went through."

"Ooh, moral lesson? I like that," he states with a grin. "Like I said, there's not much I remember, but I'll try." He leans back on his chair and crosses his arms over his lap, staring at the ceiling. "It started very slowly. A few people got sick here and there, and we figured it was just a seasonal disease of some sort. But then they started getting worse, much worse. Their fevers were horribly high, they were constantly coughing up blood and their eyes seemed very sensible to the light." He leans against the table again, but his eyes are far away. "Within days, or even sometimes hours of the initial diagnosis, they were already gone. The number of infected rose at a worrying percentage as the days passed, and people were dying in masses. By the time the government stepped in and hired doctors to help, hundreds of people had already died." He clenches his jaw and fists, staring at the table. "We weren't given the proper time to study the disease, and instead of giving us the tools to do our job, the Count simply ordered the construction of the Lazaret." 

It never ceases to amaze me how a simple name can make any room go eerily quiet. Even Lucio seems uncomfortable, and unless I'm mistaken, seems to hug himself tightly.

"Instead of trying to cure his people, he focused on getting rid of their bodies." 

His words were harsh and bitter, but it was the truth. I run my hands over my arms, trying to warm myself from the chill that has set in. I look over to Lucio, but he's busy staring at his boots with a focused expression.

"You heard him, right?" I ask, my voice coming out weaker than I intended. He simply nods, refusing to look at me.

"I have many sins to atone for, but you, Count," Julian stands and follows my like of sight, "you have many, many more."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof. This one was much longer than the others. I had a lot of fun writing it tho; Julian is a fun character to write ;P


	11. Compliments

"Hey, Allora," he asks me while we're walking through the market, trying to buy all the ingredients in the list Asra gave me. "Why do you never react to my compliments? I'm constantly showering you in them! Any other girl would be really honoured!"

I snort, shaking my head. "That's exactly why, Lucio. Your 'compliments' are skin-deep. If you actually want to make someone feel special or flattered, what you say has to have meaning to them. Telling them all about how pretty they are only goes so far."

"But I love being told I'm beautiful."

"I'm sure you do," I tell him with a chuckle, "but not everyone's like you. Nadia, for example. She would probably appreciate a lot more if you told her she was wise, or a good leader, than if you just told her she was hot."

"Huh. Damn, I never expected to be given flirting advice by a prude like you." He grins wickedly, and I glare at him.

"It's not flirting advice, dummy. It's general niceness advice. You seem to need a lot of it."

"Hey! I'm–"

"The nicest guy in the world?"

He's dumbfounded, and I laugh at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lucio is a nice guy   
CONFIRMED


	12. The Festival

"Where are we going at this hour?" Lucio asks as we step outside the shop, Asra quickly grabbing my hand. 

"There's a music festival going on tonight in the Floating Market. It's one of Allora's favorite events, so we're going," Asra explains, giving me a smile.

"Shouldn't you to be working? Y'know, to get my body back?" Lucio complains with a pout, and Asra's expression goes sour.

"Yes, and we are, but babysitting you is very stressful and we need a break. Come on, let's get going," he says, ignoring Lucio's exasperated expression. I laugh, sticking out my tongue at him before following Asra.

"Don't be so bitter, goatman. I'm sure you'll have fun too."

Lucio is quiet as we approach the canal and Asra pays the gondolier. Asra sits closer to the front, chatting with the man and I sit further back, enjoying the view of the city. Lucio sits beside me, our shoulders brushing against each other. 

"I didn't know there was a music festival in Vesuvia," he tells me, brows furrowed. I smirk at him.

"Probably because you were way too busy with your fancy parties at the palace." 

He shrugs. "Maybe. I would've come if I knew, though."

"Well, now you know. And you can come with us when you're back."

He smiles, resting his chin against his hand. "I guess. Probably won't be able to enjoy it very much right now."

"True."

We move steadily along the canal and I turn back towards the water, a comfortable silence setting between us. Soon enough, we pass by the statue garden, and I study the stone faces of the previous Counts, a thought suddenly coming to my mind.

"Lucio, how did you become Count?" I ask, turning back towards him. "You weren't born into the role, were you? Were you voted in?"

He snorts, leaning back and crossing his arms behind his back. "Nah. I was rewarded with the title."

I raise my eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

"The city was being attacked by this huge, terrifying wyrm. The thing managed to kill the previous Count, so they offered the position to anyone who could defeat it."

"That… doesn't seem like a wise decision," I ponder, and he pouts.

"And why not?"

"Well, just because you can kill a monster doesn't mean you can govern a town. It takes a lot of skill and experience to be a good ruler."

"I think I did pretty well," he remarks confidently, and I roll my eyes.

"Of course  _ you _ do. I'm not sure the rest of the town would agree, though."

"And why wouldn't they? Kept them happy and safe, didn't it?" He looks away with a frustrated expression. "Gave them parties to attend, gave them awesome battles to watch…"

"There's a lot more that goes into governing a town than just allowing them to have fun, Lucio." I roll my eyes with a sigh. "If anything, what you was just a way to distract them from their real problems."

"Hey!" He gasps, glaring at me. "I did my best, okay?"

"You could do better, though." 

He huffs irritatedly, but stays silent. 

We finally arrive at the Heart District , and though the festival is still much further ahead I can already hear the loud music and see the bright, colorful lights. Smiling in excitement, I take Asra's hand as he helps me out of the gondola. We wave goodbye to the gondier and start heading towards the festival, both of us feeling happy and energized. Lucio trails behind, observing the city around us.  _ When was the last time he came here?  _

His mood seems to pick up too, especially when we reach the market itself. 

The place is packed full of people, both residents of Vesuvia and foreigners who came to enjoy the festival. There are also several musicians from all the corners of the world, waiting for their turn to play to the cheery audience. The market stalls are still functioning, though most of them are more focused on selling food and trinkets than their regular wares. 

I can't help the wide smile that covers my face as I take in the sight of the happy people and the sound of good music. Asra pulls me closer to the makeshift stage that's been set up, and we both laugh as he spins me around into a dance. Lost in my revelry, I don't even notice Lucio staring at both of us as we move around the other dancers. 

We dance through the whole night, only stopping now and again to eat or check up on Lucio, who doesn't seem to be enjoying himself very much. I give him a sad smile, breaking away from Asra for a moment to whisk him away from the people so we can talk in private.

"Why do you look so bored?" I ask him, and he rolls his eyes, kicking at a piece of loose cobblestone. 

"Because I am? I can't join in on any of the fun," he answers with a pout, and I turn my head to the side.

"Can't you at least enjoy the music? There are many great performers here tonight," I suggest, and he sighs dramatically.

"I don't get as much joy out of listening to music as you seem to do, Allora."

"I'm sorry, Lucio. Just hang in there, okay? I'll find a way to make it up to you, I promise."

He smirks at me, and before he even opens his mouth I already know what to expect.

"Reeeeally? Will you give me a kiss, then?"

I glare at him before grinning innocently. "Sure." 

His eyes go wide. "Really?" I nod, and he smiles widely, opening his arms wide. "Well come here, then!"

I slowly step closer to him with a smile, standing on my tiptoes to press a peck on his cheek.

"Hey, that's not what I meant!" He exclaims, placing his hand on the spot as I pull away with a giggle.

"You didn't specify, goatman. You wanted a kiss, I gave you a kiss." He grunts, a playfully look on his face as he runs after me back towards the festival, just in time to hear one of the music groups start playing a very familiar song. 

I gasp in wonder, moving away from Lucio and towards the stage again, where Asra awaits me with a knowing grin.

"Your favorite song. Aren't you lucky?" He teases and I laugh, closing my eyes at the pleasant melody coming from the guitar. Unable to contain myself, I sing along to the lyrics, overcome by the joy the music makes me feel. 

When the song reaches it's climax I lose myself in the wonderful instrumental part, dancing without even thinking about it. I open my eyes briefly to check on my companions; Asra watches me affectionately from where he stands, a few feet away from me. I turn around towards the market entrance and find Lucio watching me as well, a childlike expression of wonder in his face. Warmed to see him happy, I give him a wide smile, singing the lyrics to him with an exaggerated expression before resuming my dance.

I laugh breathlessly as the song ends, clapping at the group of musicians before moving towards Lucio.

"Glad to see you managed to enjoy yourself," i tell him with a smile, "did you like the song?"

"The song wasn't really what I was enjoying," he states simply, staring at me with a grin. I blush under his intense gaze, and clear my throat to distract myself. "I must've looked like quite the fool to everyone else, singing at no one." He shrugs, his eyes still on me.

"I doubt they noticed, honestly. You looked so beautiful, it was very distracting." I blush even more, and he seems pleased with himself. "I was this close to kissing you, right there."

"Well I'm glad you didn't," I tell him with a sharp look. "I already looked crazy enough without getting smooched by a ghost."

"He does have a point," Asra joins in suddenly, coming up from behind me and placing a hand on my back. "You really were quite the sight."

I blush again, and slap him lightly on the arm. "Are you going to gang up on me now? I'm already flustered enough!" I whine, and he laughs.

"Babe, I could always fluster you a little more," Lucio teases with a wicked smirk, and Asra glares at him.

"No you couldn't, Count," he says simply, leading me back towards the gondola.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm playing a little loosely with the Canon, as you can see. Hope you guys don't mind.
> 
> If you're curious about what Allora is dancing to, it's this wonderful song:  
https://youtu.be/87TB7GlJ3ZA
> 
> Fleet Foxes always puts me in a good mood and this song specifically is one of my favorites!


	13. Jealousy

We've left the shop for the day to go into the woods and pick some harder to find ingredients. Lucio is still a bit whiny, but I can tell he feels much better when he's not at the shop—or around Asra, for that matter. He's sat himself in a nearby rock, watching me as I mindlessly pick at the small little flowers in the clearing.

"Why are you wearing Asra's scarf?" He asks me suddenly, and I raise my head towards him. He's pouting, brows furrowed.

"How do you this is his scarf?"

He scoffs. "Because he's always wearing it and because it reeks of him?"

I raise my eyebrows, going back to my task. "Good nose."

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Answer the question."

I shrug, picking at the leaves in one of the flowers. "Sometimes when I feel stressed out he lends it to me. It helps calm me down."

"Why?" He asks, and I can sense the confusion in his voice. 

"Because it smells like him, and his smell reminds me of home."

"Ew," he shoots back, and I chuckle. "I'd never walk around wearing someone else's sweaty clothes."

"I don't think you really understand my relationship with Asra, Lucio," i start, pausing to look at him again. He clenches his jaw, arms crossed. "We're like siblings, our soulmates, or whatever. We're really close, and we're used to being around each other. Sometimes he lends me his scarf, sometimes I lend him a shirt. Whatever jewelry we have is shared between us, and we make them ourselves. Sometimes we even sleep together."

"You've had sex with—"

"Not like _that_, Lucio. We just share a bed. It feels nice, especially when it's cold."

"But what you're saying is that you're…Together, right? Like,  _ together _ together." He asks, and I can sense his frustration.

"No. We're not in a romantic relationship, if that's what you're asking. We're just…" I shrug again. " _ Really _ close. Asra is everything I have. He's my roommate, my teacher, my best friend… I just can't see him that way."

His face sours, and he looks away towards the forest.

"Weirdoes."

After this conversation, everytime we're around Asra, Lucio glares at him, though I can't understand why. Asra seems to get it though, because, strangely enough, it seems to delight him to be under Lucio's scrutiny. He walks prouder and holds tighter to me.

"What are you doing, Asra?" I ask him once, when he suddenly reaches in to kiss my forehead.

"Giving the Count something to be upset about."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'know, if you take the apprentice's past in consideration, there is a good chance that she did actually sleep with Asra at least once.  
Don't tell Lucio though.


	14. Riches

Nadia invites us over for tea to discuss our findings, and me and Lucio end up going alone; the shop is full of clients and Asra needs to stay to manage it. The Count stares proudly at the palace as we reach the front gates.

"Ah, my place is so great. Don't you think?" He turns to me, and I smile. "I don't know how you and Asra can manage living in that dingy shop of yours. It's horrible!"

My smile quickly sours and I punch him lightly in the arm. "That's my home you're talking about, goatman! Plus, the palace might be fancier but it will never me as warm and cozy as the shop is." 

He glares at me before scoffing, becoming eerily quiet.

We reach the palace and Nadia greets me, as usual looking simply marvelous. I stare in awe of her dress while she's not looking, studying all the tiny delicate flowers sewn into it.

"So, how are things moving along, my dear?" She asks, her voice soft and pleasant, before taking a sip of her tea.

"I'm afraid it's very slow, Countess," I start, taking a gulp of my own. "The easiest way to do it would be to repeat what was done last year, but of course that's out of the table. There are some temporary options were studying, but there's nothing definitive for now.

"I see," she frowns, clasping her hands. "And has Lucio behaved?"

He huffs from where he's sitting at the edge of the sofa, looking anywhere but at us. 

"As a matter of fact he has," I tell her with a smile, and her eyes widen as she takes another sip. "Asra and I have taken the opportunity to help Lucio, ah…  _ integrate _ better with others."

"...and that is working?" She asks, incredulous, and I nod. "Why that's simply amazing! You and Asra must be doing a great job with him!"

Lucio gives me a glare and runs a finger through his throat, and I chuckle.

"We're no miracle workers, but I believe he's honestly improved a lot, and I'm very proud of him." I keep looking at him as I say this, and I don't miss the way his cheeks blush before he snorts and looks away.

"Well I just can't wait to get the chance to talk to him now. Would you and Asra consider it? Trying one of those temporary routes you mentioned so that we might have a chat?"

"Of course, Nadia. I'm sure we can figure something out. I'm sure Lucio wants to talk to you too." I look at him for confirmation and he shrugs.

"What does she even want to talk about? It's not like she misses me or anything," he scoffs, "must wanna check how the babysitting went." I frown before turning back to Nadia with a smile. 

"Well, I think we should get going now. Thank you for the tea, Countess."

"Oh, don't mention it, my dear. I'm the one who should thank you." She returns the smile as she stands up. "Lucio, dear, I am very glad to hear you are doing well and I hope we can fix your situation soon. Keep working hard." He rolls his eyes, and she does a small bow before leaving the room. I sigh, watching her go.

"Wow, Nadia always looks so beautiful," I exclaim, and he hums in agreement, not really paying attention. "That dress she was wearing today was really something else. I'm almost a bit jealous," I add with a chuckle, and he suddenly turns towards me.

"What if we went to a tailor and had them make you one like that?" He suggests excitedly, and I frown in confusion.

"What? Lucio, if you can't tell, I don't have the kind of money needed to buy something like that." 

He shrugs, smirking. "Tell them the Count will pay for it."

"You're dead. How do you expect to pay for it?"

"Well, Nadia will pay for me, of course. We  _ are _ married after all."

"Yes, and I'm sure she'll love the idea of paying a tailor to sew a dress in her husband's name to a random magician."

"But you're no random magician, are you?" He shoots back, plopping on the empty spot next to me. "You're the one saving her husband. Plus, Nadia likes fashion enough that she probably wouldn't care either way." I'm quiet for a moment, and he patiently grins at me, probably expecting some kind of reaction.

"What brought this up?" I ask him, eating away at a biscuit from the nearby tray. "Why are you suddenly so interested in giving me a makeover?"

"Well, you said you liked her dress. I thought you'd like having something fancy like that to wear." 

I ponder on it for a moment. "I mean, yes, but it's not like I'd have any opportunities to wear it. And I can't have anyone wasting that much money on me, even if it's a Count." 

He pouts, clearly not happy with my answer. "You don't have opportunities,  _ yet _ . When I come back, I'm gonna invite you to every party I throw. And then you'll need thousand of fancy dresses to attend."

I smile, warmed by the kind gesture. "Thank you Lucio, that's very kind. But I don't need a thousand fancy dresses. Just one I really liked would be enough."

"But everyone else would see you walking around in the same clothes every time. They'd make fun of you."

"Let them. I'd rather have one thing I really like and enjoy than having thousands that I don't even care about." 

He frowns, and I'm not surprised that he doesn't understand. "You're a difficult girl."

"Anything but," I retort with a smile. "I'm very simple actually. In many ways." 

He pouts again before standing up and extending his hand towards me. "Well mark my words, when I'm back, I'm giving you the prettiest dress in the world."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "All the pennies in the wishing wells  
All the diamonds Tiffany's could sell  
All the riches put together  
All the sunny California weather  
Could not make me love you any better"


	15. Birthday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so, here is where I completely veer off of the Canon path. While the Masquerade, in most (all?) routes, is where the finale takes place, in here it's just the beginning of the final act.  
Also, as a warning, there's a good chance that I'll never address how Lucio is going to get his body back or any possible Canon ending because, frankly, I have no idea how that'll go.  
I hope you can still enjoy this regardless.
> 
> The following chapters are all supposed to take place during the same day by the way.

"Allora! Allora! Wake up, quickly!" I'm shaken off of my peaceful sleep by a frantic Lucio. I sit up quickly, worried.

"What's wrong? What's going on?" I ask, and he grabs my arm, a wide, childlike grin on his face.

"Do you know what day it is today?"

"...the day of the masquerade?" I guess after recomposing myself. 

He huffs, tugging at my arm. "Yeah, but do you know what that means?"

I blink twice, trying to jumpstart my brain. "Uh… it's the day you died?" He stares at me with horror and pain and I immediately regret saying it.

"No! Why would you remind of that  _ today _ of all days?"

He stares sadly at me and I try to think as fast as I can. When I realize what he means, I slap myself in the face.

"Oh my God, it's your birthday. I'm so sorry. I can't believe I forgot."

He still seems sad, so I reach for him, pulling him into a tight hug. "Happy birthday, Lucio!"

He hums happily against the touch before pulling away.

"Well if you didn't even remember it I take it you didn't get me any gifts either?" He asks with a pout.

"Uh, not really." He pouts even more and I place my hands on his shoulders. "I'll figure something out, don't worry!"

We go downstairs and I see Asra moving around the shop.

"Hey, magician! Do you know what day it is today?" Lucio asks him proudly, and I curse under my breath. 

Asra stares at him as if he's grown a pair of horns. "It's the day of the masquerade. Did dying mess up with your brain or something?" He asks snarkily, and I see Lucio preparing to lunge at him.

"It's his birthday, Asra," I intervene. Asra stares at me, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"Oh." He's quiet for a moment before picking up his scarf and throwing it around his neck. "I have to leave and I don't know when I'll come back. I'll meet you back here when it's time to leave for the palace, alright?"

He vanishes through the door before I can even say anything. 

"He didn't even care!" Lucio whines, and I pat his back.

"Asra is, uhm, very busy today, Lucio. I'm sure he'll be happier when we're at the party."

"He better be," he says before continuing downstairs, arms crossed.

_ Damn it, Asra, can't you at least play nice? _

We leave the store and Lucio's mood immediately picks up again. He studies everyone we pass by, beaming proudly when he hears them talk with excitement about the Masquerade. 

"You don't remember any of the other parties, right?" He asks me suddenly after I finish picking up some fresh loaves of pumpkin bread.

"That's correct."

"Then I'll make sure this will be one you'll never forget," he says with a smile, pulling me closer to him. 

I smile back. "Well, now I'm excited too."

"As you should be," he teases, pulling back.

The rest of the day is spent cleaning the shop and dealing with some last minute customers, desperate to get their hands on some potion or spell before the party begins. By the time I've dealt with all of that, the sky is already getting dark outside.

"Where is Asra? We're gonna be late!" He pouts, pacing the room. I sigh, scratching my head.

"I'm sure he'll be here—" as if on a cue, Asra walks in.

"Are we ready to go?" He asks with a smile.

As we walk towards the palace, Asra takes the opportunity to hand me the mask he made me. It's a beautiful, deer-shaped mask, with tiny flowers carved at the sides and colorful beads hanging from the antlers.

"Wow, Asra, you've really outdone yourself this time," I tell him, and he gives me a wide smile.

"I'm glad you like it."

I turn to Lucio, letting him scrutinize the mask for a moment.

"Egh. A bit simple for my taste, but I guess it's… nice."

Asra gives him a strange smile. "I suppose from you, that's the best compliment I'll get."

"You still won't wish me a happy birthday?" Lucio asks with a pout. Asra turns his head to the side for a moment, as if thinking.

"No, I don't think I will." He moves faster towards the gates before I can chastise him for his rudeness. Lucio is left to grunt and curse at him.

"Don't let him get to you, he's doing it on purpose."

"But why?" He asks, looking surprisingly hurt. "Why is he suddenly being a lot meaner?"

"... I'm not sure, Lucio. It can be hard to read Asra sometimes."

The rest of the way to the palace is quiet, until we finally reach the gates and see all the wonders around us; fireworks in the sky, thousands of people in rich, colorful garbs and masks, swans flying around the palace.. it's all breathtaking.

"I would've done it a little differently, but I suppose Nadia's done a good job too," he admits, beaming. I smile back, his happiness and excitement intoxicating.

Before I can put on my mask, a servant from the palace approaches me.

"You're the magician right?" I nod, and he continues, "the Countess has asked to tell you that she has personally selected several costumes for you and left them at the guest bedroom, and you can choose whichever one you like, free of charge." I gasp in surprise and he smiles, turning to leave. "Enjoy the party."

"Wow! Free fancy dresses from the Countess, huh?" Lucio exclaims, and I can sense the sarcasm in his voice. I roll my eyes.

"Yes yes, you were right, Nadia clearly doesn't mind and is going to give me a fancy dress, I get your point."

"Does that mean I'm allowed to buy you clothes when I get back?"

"No."

Before he can protest, I start making my way towards the guest bedroom and he huffs before following suit.

I enter the room to find a bunch of beautifully crafted gowns waiting for me on a hanger by the bed. In awe, I step closer, analyzing each one. Lucio whistles loudly.

"Those are nice."

"Not extravagant enough for you?" I tease, and he shrugs.

"Yeah. But they're still nice."

No matter how much I try, there's just too many of them and I just can't pick one. Shifting my attention to the Count, I find him assessing them too, murmuring something under his breath.

"No, that one wouldn't look good on her…"

I smile before clearing my throat to get his attention. "Lucio, would you like to pick my costume?"

"Really?" He beams at me, and I nod, smile widening. 

"I owe you one after this morning. Pick whichever one you like."

"Any of them?" He asks, eyes narrowed. I sigh.

"Yes, any. As long as they're not indecent." He whines for a moment and I chuckle, moving towards the balcony. The night air feels nice on my skin and I can hear music and talking from nearby. It seems the whole palace is accessible to the guests. I stay there for a moment, enjoying the sights, until Lucio calls me back in.

"Alright, I've made up my mind," he starts before picking up one of the gowns. "It's this one." 

I feel my breath hitch as I look at the dress; it's long and deep blue, and has a simple cut, but it makes up for that simplicity with the sheerness of the fabric and the delicate, richly detailed embroidery of flowers, trees and birds covering it. It's quite possibly one of the most beautiful dresses I've ever seen.

"Wow. It's amazing." Lucio smiles proudly as I move closer to assess it. "Do you think Nadia really meant this for me? Maybe it got mixed up with one of hers…"

Lucio scoffs. "As if. Noddy is way too organized for that. Why would you even think that, anyway?"

"Well, it just seems far too fancy for me," I confess, playing with my hair. "I'm afraid a dress this pretty will be wasted on someone as plain as me…" I ponder at it for a moment, deep in thought, until I notice Lucio's eyes burning a hole into my skin.

"You're joking, right?" He asks, perplexed. I furrow my eyebrows at him. Suddenly, he breaks out laughing, and I'm left to stare at him in confusion. "Babe, that's, like, the dumbest thing you've ever said!"

I pout at him, and he places his arm around me. "Maybe you're not aware, but you're gorgeous, Allora! What, you think all that flattery I throw your way is just meaningless? I've been telling you this for a long time now!" 

I can't help but blush a bit at his words, and try to cover my face with my hair. 

He pats my back before moving away. 

"Come on now, I wanna see."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my inspiration for Allora's dress:  
shorturl.at/gpDK4


	16. Tease

I've just finished putting on the costume and fixing my hair when Lucio decides it's time to be a pain in my ass.

"Damn, I really do have great taste, don't I? You look so hot in that dress," he starts, and I just roll my eyes at him. Not satisfied with my reaction, he steps closer with a wicked smirk. He runs a finger down my arm and though his touch isn't exactly corporeal, I shiver. "If I had my body right now, there's so much I'd do to you."

I blush heavily, and curse in my mind when I see his smirk widening, realizing I gave him what he wanted. He pulls me closer to him until my back touches his chest and speaks softly, close to my ear. "Ah, so you  _ can _ be flirted with after all," he whispers, and I do a sharp intake as his breath prickles the skin of my neck. "You're attracted to me, aren't you?"

I open my mouth to tell him off even though my blush burns even hotter on my face, but Julian pokes his head at the door before I can do it and startles both of us.

"Oh! Allora! I found you!" He walks in, and I breathe out in relief, thinking Lucio will finally let go. "I've been looking for you everywhere! Wow, you look amazing!" He walks around me, looking up and down my costume, and instead of pulling away, Lucio only holds me closer, resting his head against my shoulder as he throws an angry glare at Julian.

"She's mine, Jules. Get away!"

I shiver again and Julian gives me a confused look. "Are you okay? You look kinda red. Do you want me to check if you're sick?" 

"No!" I exclaim, louder than I intended to, and he raises his brows. "No, I'm fine. It's just a little hot in here."

"Is it? I don't really feel it…" he muses, looking around the room. "Here, let me open the window for you."

I take the opportunity to shut my eyes tight, trying to shake the strange feeling away, but it's hard when Lucio is still toying with me.

"Not so uptight now, are you?" He jokes, pressing soft, barely-there kisses to my neck. "I should have done this a long time ago."

"Lucio I swear to God, I'll kill you," I whisper, and he chuckles before nibbling my ear.

"You can't kill me, babe. I'm already dead, remember?" He rests his head against mine, just as Julian comes back, assessing me again. "God, what I wouldn't give to be able to walk around with that body though…"

If possible, I manage to blush even deeper, and pretend to cough to hide my face from the doctor.

"Are you  _ sure _ you're not sick?"

"Y-yes, I'm okay. You go on ahead, I need to, uh, finish my hair."

"I thought it was already done…", he mumbles, brows furrowed. "Well. You know best I suppose. Don't take too long though, darling. Asra will be inconsolable if you miss the party! And as a matter of fact, so will I!" He smiles at me with his usual wide grin, and I try to smile in return as best I can, with Lucio nuzzling my cheek with his nose. 

As soon as he leaves, I huff loudly and push Lucio away as hard as I can. He's much stronger than me and easily fights off against my hands, but thankfully pulls back on his own.

"You bastard. You'd better not do that again!" I curse at him, and he gives me an innocent smile.

"What? You're gonna tell me you didn't like that?"

I blush, unable to say no, and he laughs.

"That's irrelevant. I don't want you to do that again,  _ especially _ not in front of my friends."

"But Jules is my friend too. Plus, he couldn't even see me."

"Doesn't matter. You don't touch me like that again, unless I give you permission. Do you understand?" I harden my tone, trying to keep my expression serious, and he pouts.

"You're no fun. I was only teasing you! You look so beautiful in that dress, I couldn't help it!" 

"Well, you don't need to get your hands all over me to tell me that. Anyway, we're missing the masquerade, let's go." 

He seems shocked for a moment. "Wow, I actually forgot for a second there. Let's go!" He exclaims before running off excitedly, and this time I'm the one who's left shocked.

' _ did Lucio just get distracted from his birthday party... because of me? _ '

I clear my throat and leave the room before I get lost in that train of thought.


	17. The Chase

After spending a good few hours dancing and laughing with Julian and Asra, I retreat to the garden, intent on catching my breath. I sit by the balcony, enjoying the distant sound of music and cheers and the beautiful colors that the fireworks leave as they fly across the sky. Distracted by the view, it takes me a moment to notice Lucio hovering sadly towards me, pouting.

"What's wrong? Aren't you enjoying your party?"

"I can't enjoy anything while I'm dead. What's the point?" He sounds dejected, and I furrow my brows in pity. He plops his elbows on the balcony, resting his face in his hands. "Plus, i had to watch you dancing with Jules and Asra all night long. I wish I could've danced with you too."

"You can still dance with me," I tell him with a soft smile, and he looks over to me for a second before turning towards the fireworks again. "It won't be the same. I'm just a ghost, and no one will see us."

"So? Why does that matter to you?"

"Because you're beautiful, and I want to see the look on everyone's faces when they see us dancing together!" He exclaims with pleading eyes, and I feel a warmth cover my chest. Touched by his words, I don't even quite know what to say. We stand together in silence for a moment,and I can see he's clearly still upset.

Pained to see him look so down at what was supposed to be his birthday party, I try to wrack my brain for something that'll cheer him up. When an idea crosses my mind, I stand up quickly. He looks over to me with a confused expression.

"Let's play tag."

"What?" He asks, clearly taken aback by the strange suggestion. 

"You heard me. Aren't you such a great hunter? Surely you can catch a weak little magician easily, right?" I smile playfully at him, but he still seems wary.

"Uh, sure, but… why?"

"Why not?" I place my hands on my hips and narrow my eyes, giving him a wicked grin. "What, does being a ghost make you so weak that you can't even beat  _ me _ ?" 

He narrows his eyes and my smile widens, knowing my challenge worked.

"Oh, it's on," he shoots back, smirking. "And because I'm so nice, I'll give you a head start. Go on, run, little mage!"

I laugh before running off towards the maze as fast as I can.

The palace is Lucio's playground, but perhaps I can use my skills to level the playing field. 

Using my magic, I leave fake footprints behind me, use illusions to conceal certain entrances and open others, and leave obstacles in his way. By the time I hear his booming voice far away, I realise I've been so busy with my traps that I lost sight of where I was going. Breathless, but confident that it will take him long to reach me, I slowly make my way through this portion of the maze, trying to notice any familiar sights. I don't have too much time before I'm surprised by the sound of footsteps close to me.

"Oh Allora, where are you?" He teases, and my heart beats faster when I realize how close he actually is. Getting desperate, I decide that my best plan is to hide. Not seeing any good hiding spots, I decide to simply glamour myself to be invisible and press my back against a tree far from the main path, hoping he will run by and not notice me. Suddenly, I see him reach the place where I was just standing, and I hold my breath, trying to keep as still as possible. He slows down, looking around with a frighteningly concentrated look on his face.

' _ Who would've thought, Lucio can actually take something seriously _ ', I think to myself.

He laughs under his breath, moving around the path with sharp, narrowed eyes. 

"I'll catch you, little thing. Just you wait."

He runs towards the path farthest from me, and I smile. My plan worked. I remove the glamour and make my way towards the other path, being careful not to make too much noise. Suddenly, I feel an arm reach around my waist from behind and gasp in surprise as Lucio presses a kiss on my cheek.

"Got ya." 

Panicked, I quickly summon my magic and raise my hands towards my back, splashing water on his face. He shouts in alarm and I take the opportunity to free myself and run away. 

"Oh, you dirty little cheater!" He yells after me once he regains his composure, and I giggle breathlessly as I run from him as fast I can. But Lucio is way faster and much more used to pursuits, and it doesn't take long before he's on my heel again. We finds ourselves near the fountain when he finally catches me, turning me towards him.

"You aren't running away this time!" He grabs my arms, and I kick at his feet to destabilize him, throwing us both into the cold fountain water. I laugh out loud, and he takes to opportunity to climb on top of me, giving me an evil smile.

"You're all mine now," he whispers, his face close to mine, and I can feel myself blush. He presses himself against me and starts licking at my neck, and I feel him reaching his hand under the collar of my dress.

I grab the back of his shirt."Lucio, slow down." He pulls back, and I'm surprised to see that he's not pouting—no, to my absolute surprise, he's actually  _ blushing. _

"Sorry, I got a little carried away," he says sheepishly, scratching his head. I stare at him, mouth agape. "What? What's wrong?" He asks me, looking confused.

"...did you just apologize?"

"...yeah?" He furrows his brows, and the now familiar pout is back. "I mean, I usually like to get things moving fast but I know that's not what you're like, so…y'know, I didn't mean to push you or anything."

"That's...thank you, that's very nice of you."

We stare at each other for a moment before both burst out laughing.

"Why did you have to make it weird?" He asks between laughs, and I huff at him.

" _ I _ made it weird?"

"Okay okay, I admit it. That's on me," He relinquishes, pulling away, and I suddenly miss his warmth. "See? I'm not so bad. I can be a gentleman if I want to."

I snort, squeezing my hair to get some of the water out. "Yes, it seems you can. I'm pleasantly surprised." He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. I give him a soft smile. "How about I reward you for that?"

His expression changes quickly to one of curiosity and interest, and I can't help but chuckle.

"Well? What are you giving me?"

"The permission to kiss me."

He's silent for a moment, staring at me with eyes surprisingly soft. "Really?" He mumbles, and I nod, heart beating fast.

He clears his throat and straighten his back, as if he's about to perform some amazing feat, and I laugh again.

"If I'm finally gonna kiss you, then I'm gonna kiss you  _ properly _ ," he explains to me with a serious look, and I blush. He motions for me to sit with him by the edge of the fountain and I follow suit, both our feets dangling in the water. He looks me over for a moment, as if taking in the sight, and though feeling shy, I do the same. Slowly, he uses his metal hand to push a wet lock of hair away from my face and his flesh one to caress my jaw, pulling my face closer. With a sharp intake of breath, I pull myself closer and closer to him, until I can feel—well, almost feel, anyway— his breath on my skin. He looks into my eyes very solemnly for a moment before finally closing his own and pressing his lips against mine. 

It feels soft, and warm, and… strange. The sensation is like kissing a water stream or a guff of wind. There is resistance, but it feels off. Without realizing it, I furrow my brows, eyes still shut. I hear him huff and shift beside me and finally open them to find him looking disgruntled.

"That wasn't good, was it?" He asks, pouting, and I'm taken aback.

"What do you mean?" 

"Don't try to hide it. I know it was weird." He huffs again, scratching at his metal arm. "Damn ghost lips aren't good for smooching."

I can't help but giggle at him, and he stares at me with a blush.

"That was great, Lucio. Stop worrying about it."

"I  _ know _ I can do better than that. And I fully intend to." He takes my hand in his and gives me a very serious, intense look. "I promise, when I gave my body back, I'm gonna give you a proper kiss that you'll never forget."

I blush, unable to hide my smile.

"I'll look forward to that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we're finally into relationship territory!  
Masquerade stuff ends here for now.


	18. Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the aaangst

I had decided to spend the day at the library, trying to see if any of the gigantic pile of books in the palace held any information that could help us. That, of course, put the Count in a bad mood.

"Aw, come on! There's so much we could be doing right now instead of being stuck in this dusty old boring place!" He whines, pacing around the room. I adjust my position on the pillow seat and drink another sip of the tea Portia had kindly provided, trying to keep calm.

"Lucio, if you expect me to help you, you need to actually let me do my damn job."

"But…" he starts, but before he can continue, I throw him a glare over the book I'm reading. With a dramatic huff, he plops down beside me and places his head on my lap, looking at me with teasing eyes.

"Don't even try it. I won't let you distract me."

"Fine. But I'm staying here."

"As long as you're quiet."

To my pleasant surprise, he actually keeps mostly still on my lap, though he glances impatiently at me now and again, clearly craving some affection. Sighing, I decide to give in, if only a bit, and run one of my hands through his hair, holding the book with the other one. He hums happily in return, closing his eyes against the touch.

Everything is so quiet and relaxed that I don't even notice Asra standing by the entrance until Lucio sits up so fast that he knocks the book out of my hands.

"O-oh! Asra! You're here!" He greets awkwardly, but Asra's eyes are focused on me, a strange expression I can't read. He clenches and unclenches his fists, and I quickly gather that he's upset.

"Asra, I'm sorry, I've been meaning to tell you about this, but…" I trail off, not sure what to tell him. Somehow, I feel nothing will appease him. He walks further into the room,eyebrows furrowed and eyes dark. Lucio moves to sit on the couch behind me, scratching at his arm in embarrassment, and I stand up to meet Asra's ire.

"Why?" He asks simply, voice full of sorrow, though I'm not sure what he means. He finally raises his gaze back to me, and I'm shocked to see his eyes brimming with tears. "Why are you doing this?"

"What am I doing?" I ask, furrowing my brows. I try to place my hand on his arm, but he recoils, and the rejection is like a stab to my heart. "I know you don't like Lucio, but why are you so upset?"

He runs a hand down his face, so torn and broken that it hurts to even look. "Why him, of all people? Why did you have to choose  _ him _ ?"

Lucio stands up from his spot and comes closer to us, clearly upset by Asra's words.

"Hey! What's wrong with me? I'm the best guy she could possibly go for!" He proclaims, and judging by Asra's expression I can see that's the worst thing he could have said.

"You're not the best at anything expect making a mess and ruining people's lives, Count!" He shouts, and Lucio is taken aback by his unbridled anger. " _ you _ are the last thing she needs, considering what you did to her before!"

"...what I did to her?" Lucio repeats, utterly confused. "What did I ever to do her?"

"You are the reason she died, you horrible bastard!" Asra finally spits out, his words dripping out like poison. "you are the reason I lost her back then, and I won't let you take her from me again!" He seems like he's about to conjure some dark magic and attack Lucio, so I place my arm on his shoulder and stop him.

"Woah, what are you talking about? Where is this coming from?"

He turns his eyes back to me, shaking with sobs and face wet with tears. "He caused the plague, Allora. He made all those people get sick." He takes a deep breath, and I can see whatever he's been holding onto is tearing him up inside. "He made  _ you _ get sick."

The room is quiet for a moment apart from Asra's sobs, and then Lucio speaks, voice strangely weak and quiet.

"...Allora caught the plague?"

"Yes, Lucio. She did." He licks at his tears, but more just keep pouring out. "And she died from it too." My face goes pale, and he turns back to me. "I wasn't here to help you or at least console you, and by the time I got back you were long gone." His voice cracks as he says the last part, and I can feel my eyes watering and a headache approaching. "All I had left of you were ashes on a beach, and that killed me," he admits through his tears. I feel my knees getting weak.

"...then how is she here now?" Lucio asks, though I can see he's shaken up too.

"I asked the Arcana for help," he answers, his eyes once again dark. "And they answered. They revealed your plan to me, and with that information I managed to ruin your ritual and steal your shiny new body for her."

My legs finally give out and I fall to my knees, hugging myself against all the terrible truth. Slowly, I turned my eyes towards Lucio, and found him torn between anger and anguish.

"You! You are the reason I'm like this!" He screams, pointing at Asra, who raises his head defiantly.

"That's right, Lucio. I'm the reason you're dead, and I'm the reason she's here right now, falling in love with you."

I grab my hair, feeling myself break apart with all of this. I start sobbing, terrible, desperate sobs that shake my entire being.

"I'm sorry," Asra mutters towards me, but I don't even glance up. "I didn't want to tell you like this, but I had no other choice. I can't let you stay with him."

I release a broken sob, and watch as Asra leaves the room, leaving me alone with Lucio once again, though the energy in the room is completely different now.

I look up at Lucio, and he raises his wide, shocked eyes from the floor to me, his expression turning sour. For a moment, I worry that he might actually try to kill me get his body back. He seems to consider it too, raising his claw towards me for a moment, but he quickly drops it back down.

"I…" he starts, but he seems utterly unsure of what to say. "I… need to be alone for a moment."

He moves fast towards the exit, and I'm left alone to sob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Asra is supposed to have forgotten what he did to get the apprentice back, but honestly I feel like that's really boring so, yeah.


	19. Redemption

I slowly open the door to the shop to find Asra at the counter, mindlessly twirling a small piece of thyme in his thumb. He stops in his tracks when he sees me, though I don't even raise my head to look at him.

"Is Lucio with you?" Is the first think out of his mouth, and though it angers me, I'm much too tired to fight.

"No. I haven't seen him since the library," I confess, suddenly realizing how sore and dry my throat feels.

"He can't be far. He's bound to you after all." Asra lowers his eyebrows with concern, looking me up and down. "I really am sorry, Allora."

"Why did you do it?" I ask simply, finally raising my face to look at him. He looks heartbroken, but then again so am I.

"Because it's what's best for you. Lucio is the one who did this you, Allora."

"He didn't directly give me the plague, Asra."

"No, but he was the one who spread it, wasn't he?"

I sigh, running my hands through my eyes as I move to sit on our old, dusty couch by the other side of the room.

"Do you want some tea?" He asks, voice soft, but I still feel too bitter.

"To be quite honest I'm not sure I want anything from you right now."

I don't need to look at him to know how hurt he is, but at the moment I don't really care. He drops whatever he was doing and kneels beside me, raising my head so I can look into his tearful eyes.

"Please try to understand, I didn't do it to hurt you, I did it to protect you. I don't want to see anything bad happen to you ever again", he sniffs, grabbing my hand and tracing patterns in my palm as he used to when I was feeling down. "I just want you to be safe and happy, that's all."

I sigh, closing my eyes for a moment before squeezing his hand. "I know, Asra. I know you care a lot about me. I don't think you purposefully wanted to harm me. But that just wasn't fair. Who I decide to be with is my choice, no matter how much you may disapprove."

"But he's going to hurt you."

"He won't. And even if he does, I can handle myself," I tell him, giving him a fierce look. "I'm not that lost little puppy that you found anymore, Asra. I love you, but I can take care of myself now, and I need you to understand that."

He's quiet for a moment, eyes full of sorrow. Then he takes a deep breath and talks again. "Is there anything I can do to help you forgive me?" He asks, still sniffing, and I raise my eyes towards his face. 

I want to hate him. I want to be angry at him forever, for not telling me the truth and for not trusting my decisions. But I can't.

This is Asra.

I have known him all my life, or at least all I've known of my life. 

We share a home, we share clothes, and we even share a bed.

He hurt me, and a lot, but he's too important to me. I can't bear losing him, or even pushing him away.

"Make that tea, then we'll talk," I tell him, giving him an attempt at a smile, and he returns it, hopeful.

"I'll be right back."


	20. Redemption (pt. 2)

I wake up in the middle of the night with the feeling of cold metal around my throat.

I open my eyes to find Lucio, inches away from my face, glaring at me with all the hatred in his body. He squeezes his claw around my throat and I gasp, heart beating fast and eyes tearing up.

"I have every right in the world to kill you," he sneers, and I can feel his hot breath on my face. "You took my body from me. My life, my plans, my future. If it wasn't for you, I would've gotten rid of the plague and would've went on with my life as if nothing had happened." He squeezes a little bit more before finally letting go and I sit up, curling myself against the head of the bed. I'm afraid of him, something I haven't been for quite some time.

"But now I can't do it, can I?" He laughs, running his hands through his face, his claw leaving a trail through his skin. "Not after everything we've been through. Now, I just can't bear to do it." He laughs again, but I can see his hand is wet with tears. "You should be proud of yourself, magician. You've broken the mighty Count. I'm sure Asra is delighted."

"I never wanted to break you," i tell him, my voice still weak. "I only wanted to help you."

"Help me?!" He screams, pulling his hands away to reveal his red, crying face. "Look at me! Look at what you've done to me! Does this look like  _ helping _ to you?" He grabs a handful of his hair and grimaces, pacing around the room. "I don't even know what I want anymore! Don't even know  _ who _ I am!"

He sits on the floor, hugging himself tightly. I stand from my bed and move to sit next to him, running my fingers through his hair.

"Why did you do this to me?" He asks, voice cracking, and I lay my head on his shoulder.

"Because I love you," I tell him simply, feeling his shoulders shake as he sobs. "Because I believed in you, and that you could be a better person if you tried hard enough. Because I want you to be happy,  _ truly _ happy, and not just momentarily happy, the way shiny things and wonderful compliments can make you feel. I want you to love yourself, but be capable of loving others too, and understanding them better."

"So you want to make me be a good person," he says in a sarcastic tone, and I nod. "And what if I can't be like that? What if I can't be the person you envisioned?"

"If I've managed to help you be happier, then that's enough for me." I sit up and grab his face, turning it towards me. His eyes are still red and his cheeks are still puffy, but he's calmer. I smile. "I mean it, Lucio. I love you."

He places his hands on my waist but stays quiet, clearly too embarrassed to say anything. I chuckle, wiping a few of his stray tears away. "There's no rush."

We're both quiet for a moment, just holding each other and listening to the crickets outside, and the he shifts beside me.

"What about my body?" He asks, unsure. I look at him for a moment, deep in thought, before smiling.

"Don't worry, we can share."

"Oh, I would love to take that body of yours for a run," he answers easily, smirking. "Don't tempt me, babe."

My smile widens and I smack his arm lightly. "It's good to have you back, goatman."


	21. Company

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place directly after the previous one.

"Come, lie down next to me," I call, preparing to go back to sleep. He smirks, and I know exactly where his dirty mind is going.

"Ooh? What do you have in mind, babe?" I glare at him and he sighs, still smiling. "Just teasing ya."

"I know you can't sleep, but at least you can stay here with me," I explain. He lies down beside me and starts thrashing around, trying to get comfortable. 

"Jesus, how can you sleep in a bed this small?" 

"I'm sorry if my bed isn't good enough for you, your highness. It's all Asra and I could afford."

"Yeah well. I'm buying you a new bed."

I laugh, ruffling his hair. "The house couldn't possibly fit a bed bigger than this though."

"Then I'm buying you a new house!" He exclaims. He gasps suddenly, sitting back up. "I know! Why don't you come live in the palace with me once I'm back? Then we can have all the beds in the world!"

I sigh, toying with my pillow. "I can't just leave Asra behind."

"You would choose him over me?" He whines, and I huff.

"Come on, don't do that to me. You know it's not that simple. You're both important to me." He stares at me with a pout, and I sigh again. "Maybe you can hire me as your court magician or something. Then I could come up every now and again."

"Oh! That's a great idea! Then I can call you whenever I want and we can spend time together!"

"Not all the time, though. We both have other responsibilities, remember?" He rolls his eyes, dropping back down to rest his head on my chest, long legs dangling off the bed. 

"I don't see why that'd be a problem. Nadia likes handling stuff anyway, I can just drop it all on her lap." 

I glare at him. "No, you won't. Didn't I tell you that Vesuvia needed a Count worthy of ruling it? I meant that. No more shirking your duties."

He huffs unhappily, rolling around to press his face between my breasts, making my cheeks grow hot.

"It's not like I didn't try! I'm just not cut off for that kind of job, I can't handle doing all those boring things!"

"You won't have to do all of it. And you won't have to do it alone. Nadia will help you out, and so will I." I sigh, running my hand through his hair. "I just don't want you to distance yourself from the town again, Lucio. They need a good leader."

"Okay, okay. I'll try. I can't promise I'll be good at it, but I'll try."

"I thought you were supposed to be good at everything?" I tease, and he raises his head to glare at me.

"Yes, well, as you've made sure to let me know, I'm not perfect."

"Come on, don't say it like that. You make it seem like I'm torturing you."

"Well, maybe you are."

"Right," I start, raising my eyebrows. "Such a poor thing you are, lying on my chest like that. What a horrible person I am." He snorts as I laugh.

"That reminds me," he mumbles with a wicked grin that makes me blush. "I can't pass this opportunity to have you all for myself."

He leaves a trail of kisses behind as he moves from my chest to my neck and I shiver against his touch. I grab his hair when he goes towards my face, kissing my jaw. He hums contently when I drag my hand down towards the back of his neck. He gives me one last loving look before finally reaching my mouth. The feeling is still strange, but I'm slowly getting used to it; this kiss is much less innocent than the first one, with the way he moves his tongue in my mouth. I hold him tighter, not sure what to do but enjoying the sensation. He doesn't seem fazed by my lack of practice, continuing to kiss me for what feels like hours. 

When he finally pulls away, I'm gasping for air and he watches me, a pleased look on his face. I can't help but blush furiously at him, and he smiles before placing a final kiss on my jaw.

"There. I'm content for now."

I find myself too embarrassed and overwhelmed to speak, a fact he seems to relish in. "That's a good look on you."

"Stop teasing me," I manage to say, turning my face away from him. He laughs, tickling me by scratching his nose down my neck. 

"Aw, but it's so much fun!"

"Stop, I have to go to sleep!" I plead between laughs. He chuckles before finally pulling away.

"Fine. I don't want to deal with your crankiness if you don't sleep well, anyway."

"I don't know why you keep saying that. I'm not even cranky in the morning. That's probably you." He acts upset and I laugh again. "Now shush and let me sleep."

"Wait, I have an idea." He lies back down beside me and rolls me over so that he's the one under me. "There, much better." He sighs happily as he places his arms around me, and I can't help but smile.

"Good night, Lucio."

"Good night Allora."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Believe it or not, but that's the closest I ever got to writing smut.
> 
> Yes, I am that much of a prude.


	22. Destiny

"Why are we here, again?" Lucio asks, and i can sense the tension in his voice. He kicks at the ashy sand, arms crossed.

"Because I think this place holds truths both of us need for face," I tell him in a hushed voice. There is clearly no one here, but this place carries a heavy aura that can't easily be shaken. "For you, this place represents your greatest mistake. You put the lives of your people in danger, and here, they died because of you." Lucio stares at me with a face full of fear, and I continue. "For me, well… this is where  _ I _ died. This is my last connection to who I used to be. I hope that being here might allow me to remember more."

"Have you gotten anything yet?" He asks, looking around with a worried expression. Even he seems quieter than normal. I shake my head.

"No. I think we need to go further in." 

We move towards the heart of the island, and more and more the ruins of the Lazaret make themselves seen. I study the building, trying to think of what it had once been. Of all the people who spent their last days here, away from the people they loved, probably feeling dejected by their own city. I can almost hear their cries of pain.

We finally reach the ruins, and as soon as I look at it from up close a horrible feeling of  _ déjà vu _ hits me. I sigh, bracing myself against the feeling.

For a moment, I can see myself, throat raw and eyes burning red, barely conscious through my fever, being taken inside by men in dark cloaks and beaded masks. The feeling is so strong, I think I feel my skin grow hot and sweaty. I shiver, trying to disperse the memory.

"Did you ever come here?" I ask Lucio when I manage to recompose myself. He paces around the clearing, looking anywhere but at the building, scratching at his metal arm with an expression of discomfort. It takes him a moment to register that I'm talking to him; when he realizes, he turns his head towards me for a second before resuming his pacing.

"No. I never wanted to." He holds his golden arm, and I can see his fingertips going white. "I was too scared."

"Scared of what? Of the sick people?"

"No. I mean, yes, but… not like that." His eyes trace the length of the building for a moment. "I was scared I'd end up like them."

I watch him for a moment, taking his words in, before walking toward the dilapidated entrance. 

"Are you really going in there?"

"I have to."

I move into the building and, to my surprise, soon after I hear him join me. Again, it only takes a quick glance around the room before another memory hits. 

My eyes water and sting, and I turn to the side before coughing so that the blood doesn't get on me. One of the doctors comes closer and wipes my face, petting my hair.

"You wretched thing. It won't be long now," they assure me, and I can feel my throat clench painfully when I think of Asra. By now, he's long gone, and I don't have enough strength to try and reach him with my magic. Mind taken by fever, I hold onto the doctor's arm.

"Please," I try to speak, my voice nothing but a croak whisper, "tell him I love him. Tell him..

Tell him I'm sorry."

The doctor squeezes my hand and, though I can't see their face, I can assume they give me a reassuring smile. "I will, don't worry."

It's just empty words, of course. They couldn't possibly know who I'm talking about. They're just trying to give peace of mind to someone on their deathbed. The last thing I feel before the memory ends is the burning heat of the furnace. 

I fall to the ground, overwhelmed with all the strong emotions the memory brings. Lucio comes towards me, but his movements are slow and unsteady.

"You… loved him," he mutters as I'm overcome with sobs, and I stare at him in shock.

"You saw that too?"

He looks more tense and uncomfortable then I've ever seen him before, eyes darting between my face and what remains of the furnace. "I did. It was like I was in your body for a moment there." He grimaces, shivering. "God, I never wanted to feel that sick again."

I release a shaky breath, hugging myself. He sits beside me, but doesn't touch me. 

I feel too much, all at once, and I don't quite know where does emotions want to take me. I want to cry, I want to smile, I want to scream… I start hyperventilating, and Lucio presses a hand to my back.

"Hey, don't lose it on me like that," he mutters, his own voice weak and shaky. "It's all in the past, right? It doesn't matter anymore. None of this does."

"It does, Lucio," I manage to tell him once I've calmed down a bit more. "Our choices then are what led us here. If I hadn't chosen to stay and had left with Asra, I wouldn't have died. I would still have my memories. If you hadn't made your deal with Vlastomil, no one would've gotten sick in the first place, and neither of us would've died, and we'd both still be alive, albeit living very different lives."

"So it's all my fault, then," he shoots back, and I can sense the hurt and anger on his voice.

"I'm not saying this to hurt you. I'm saying this because you have to face what you've done."

"Why?" He screams suddenly, standing up. "That was all years ago! Why does it matter now?"

"Because you can't make those same mistakes again, Lucio," I reason with him, giving him a soft look. "You have to be more careful this time."

We've had this conversation many times, but I have to make sure he understands, that he's truly willing to face what he did and do better from now. He looks torn, but I think he understands. 

He reaches for my hand and helps me up, already heading towards the entrance. "Come on, we need to get out of here."


	23. Healing

We head back to the shop and Lucio trails behind me, still quiet. Asra turns his head from where he stands behind the counter to give me a worried look.

"So? How did it go? Are you okay?"

I nod before walking towards him and pulling him into a tight hug. He sighs, leaning into my touch

"I know."

He seems to freeze for a moment. "Know what?"

I pull away from him, just enough to look into his eyes and place my hands around his face. "I  _ know _ , Asra."

He stares back at me, and I can tell he understands what I mean by the way his eyes slowly start to water.

"I'm sorry for not telling you." 

I shake my head, placing my head against his chest. "Don't be. You didn't do anything wrong." I sigh, running my hand up and down his back. "Thank you for everything you've done, Asra. Thank you for loving me so much." 

He releases a broken sound before finally sobbing, his arms tight around me. His head drops to my shoulder and I hold him, running my hand through his hair. I shush him gently as he cries, his legs giving out under him and making us both kneel on the floor. I stay with him until he calms down, pressing a shaky sigh into my hair.

"Are you two done?" Lucio asks awkwardly from where he still stands by the door, and i chuckle, helping Asra up.

"I think we are, yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, but hopefully sweet.


	24. Simple and Clean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters from here on out are more spread out and set after Lucio gets his body back. These are the last few I've written!

"Ooh, I had a great idea!" He says, holding me closer, and I relish in the way I can truly feel his warmth now. "Now that I have my body back, how about we take a nice, hot bath together?" He gives me a wicked grin, and I blush slightly.

"As long as you promise to behave," I shoot back, and he raises his eyebrows, still grinning.

"Well, you told me not to make promises I don't intend to keep, so…"

I sigh, but he's so happy that I just can't deny him. "Fine." 

He celebrates by giving me a quick kiss and then picking me up and running towards the baths while I struggle and giggle on his arms.

He puts me down and I realize that the room already seems to be set up. I narrow my eyes at him and he shrugs.

"Well, I knew you couldn't say no, so I just went ahead and told the servants to get it ready."

"You're impossible, Lucio."

"Hmm, maybe, but you love me anyway, right?", He teases, pressing quick kisses on my neck, and my eyes soften.

"I suppose I do." I interrupt his caresses and hold his face in my hands, studying his face.

"Can I do something to you?"

He smirks, pressing his nose against mine. "Do whatever you want, babe. I'm all yours now."

I ignore his flirting and carefully reach to remove his fur cape. It falls to the ground around him, and I move on to his arm, removing the armored plating over it. I then go on to remove his suit and shirt, and he seems to be enjoying the whole experience, though I'm sure he misunderstands my intentions. 

I make him sit on a chair nearby and then remove his black leather boots, followed by his pants. He makes a sultry pose, staring at me with dark eyes, but I just smile at him.

His flirty expression leaves his face when I reach towards his arm, and it takes a moment before he helps me detach it. He seems a little less proud now, and I softly run a finger on the nasty scar there. I run my hand up his arm and cup it around his face. He seems embarrassed and confused, but he doesn't say anything. 

"Go in, I'll be right there with you," I tell him, and his grin swiftly comes back.

"What, you're gonna do all that and not let me do the same to you?"

I can't help the blush that heats my cheeks, but smile and step back, allowing him to remove my clothes too. He pulls them off slowly, making me shiver as they touch my skin. He presses a soft kiss against my breasts before going into the water, waiting for me with an expectant look. 

I finally join him, and before he can put his arms around me again I gently push him down until he kneels in front of me. He smirks, ready to say something naughty, I'm sure, but I shoosh him. Instead, I cup some of the warm, scented water in my hands and carefully let it fall over his head. I ruffle his hair, letting it fall more naturally on the sides of his face instead of brushed back like he always wears it. Finally, I place my wet fingers under his eyes and wipe out all the makeup over them. 

Task completed, I take a step back and study him again. He looks very different now, in many ways. Younger, less intimidating and more vulnerable. The look on his face is the much of the same; he stares at me like a little boy, wide eyes full of awe.

"What are you doing?" He asks, voice unusually soft and quiet. 

I trace his jaw with my fingers, pressing a quick kiss to his temple. "I wanted to see what you look like when you're not trying to impress anyone."

He blushes then, deeper than I've ever seen him blush before, that vulnerable look still in his eyes.

"You look beautiful like this too, you know. You don't need all of that." I run my fingers through his hair, and he's still quiet. "Do you wear all of it because you want to, or because you feel you have to? Do you even know?"

He presses his arm around my waist, pushing me down until I'm kneeling in the water too. He studies my face with brows furrowed and tears in his eyes, which I quickly reach to wipe off.

"I think I love you," he whispers softly, and I can't help the wide smile that crosses my face. "You're always confusing the hell outta me, and I barely know who I am anymore, but I do know that."

"I don't know who I am either. We can figure it out together," I tell him, twirling my finger around a wet strand of his hair. "And you already know that I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Too cheesy? Probably, but I can't help it.


	25. Past Lives

"Asra, if you don't mind, could you tell me about who I was?" I ask him softly, sitting by his side in the shop as he takes a sip of his tea. Lucio stares at me with a pout from where he's lounging around in the couch, but I pay him no mind.

Asra clenches his jaw for a moment, deep in thought, and I think of of brushing the subject away when he nods.

"You deserve to know more, I guess." He puts his teacup down and takes one of my hands, holding it between us. "You were different from how you are now, I must admit."

"How so?" I ask him, cocking my head to the side. He hums, a sad smile on his lips.

"You were more confident, I suppose. More…Mischievous."

"Really?" Lucio chimes in, resting his head on his hand and staring at Asra with interest.

"Yeah. You were the one who came onto me, as a matter of fact." My eyes go wide, and he chuckles softly. "Your family was from Vesuvia, but you and your brothers traveled around the world as performers. You used your magic to entertain audiences. That was why you came here all those years ago, as a matter of fact. To perform on the Count's wedding celebration." He turns towards Lucio, who opens his mouth in shock.

"What?! She—" he cuts off suddenly with a gasp. "Fuck! That was her??"

"Yes. I think they danced at the party?"

" _ Danced  _ is putting it mildly. The way all of you moved was…Incredible." His awe turns into frustration as he pouts again. "I tried to hit on you, but you brushed me off. Said it was rude to flirty with another woman on my wedding."

Asra laughs and I raise my eyebrows.

"I did that?"

"Oh, yeah. I got really mad, but you disappeared before I could do something about it."

"Sounds like her. She definitely never missed an opportunity to speak her mind," Asra remarks, and I look down, confused.

"Your hair was a lot longer back then too," he starts again, running his fingers through my hair. "I asked you to teach me how to care for it. How to do your nails…" he smiles sadly, a distant look in his eyes. "I wanted nothing more than to take care of you, and you'd always entertain me."

"Guess that backfired," Lucio notes, and I glare at him angrily. Asra thankfully doesn't seem to have heard him, still lost in thought.

"Your aunt used to own this shop, and when we started dating she let me stay here. She was very kind," he says with a smile, and I can't help but frown.

"What happened to them? To my family?" 

He looks down, and I feel my heart plummet. "They all died of the plague. That was why you chose to stay." He doesn't look at me but I feel his hand caress my own, as if he wants to make sure I'm still there. "You didn't want anyone else to go through that."

The mood of the room quickly sours, and we all go quiet for a moment. 

I sigh, holding his hand tighter. "I guess my memory wasn't all that I lost when you brought me back, then."

Asra gives me a sad look, and I can tell the conversation is beginning to take a toll on his emotions . "I'm sorry. It's probably my fault. I was so desperate to keep you safe with me and keep those painful memories away that I guess I… caged you too much. Maybe if I hadn't been so overprotective and allowed you to be more independent, you wouldn't have changed so much."

"I can't fault you for anything, Asra. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you." I gently wipe his tears away and he kisses my forehead, leaving to recompose himself. 

Lucio takes the opportunity to plop down on his empty spot, scooching his ottoman closer to mine and placing an arm around my back.

"I bet you wished you could've dated me then," I tell him sourly, before he can say anything. "I would've been much more of your type."

He frowns, scratching my neck with his finger. "Don't say that. I will admit it kinda bums me out that Asra got to see that side of you and I didn't, though." He lets his head drop on my shoulder, pouting. "I hate thinking about you two together." 

I chuckle, petting his leg. "Lucio, you had like, twenty partners before me and you don't hear me complaining." 

He snorts. "Those are rookie numbers, babe." I give him a sharp glare and he huffs. "Okay okay, I get your point. But hey," he starts, raising his head and giving me a wicked grin, caressing my jaw. "I bet with enough incentive, you could be like that again. All we need to do is shake all that insecurity away. Luckily for you," he whispers, pressing his lips to my neck, "I'm a very good flatterer."

I laugh, feeling myself shiver as he nuzzles his nose against my skin. "I'm well aware." I push him away for a moment to look deep into his eyes. "But what if I can't be like that again? What if I'm stuck like this forever?"

He huffs, pressing his hands around my face. "Babe, at then end of the day, I fell in love with this version of you. If ya ask me, past Allora's got nothing on you." 

I laugh, feeling the weight that had lodged itself on my chest lifting away as he kisses me.

"I  _ would _ like to see you dance like that again, though."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lotsa headcanons in this one, but I think that's kinda the point of leaving the MC's past blank, so that we can decide the kind of person they were.


	26. Memory

I'm making my way to the library when I suddenly run into Asra in the palace. He holds me in place and gives me an excited smile.

"Ah, there you are. I was looking for you."

"You were? What for?"

"I've found a way to share some of my memories with you," he says, and I quickly join him in his giddiness.

"Really?"

"Yes! Let's find a quiet place and I'll show you."

We end up heading to the library anyway, and we both sit on the floor by the fireplace. He takes my hands in his and takes a deep breath before closing my eyes. Heart beating fast in anticipation, I follow suit.

Slowly an image starts forming on the darkness of my mind, and it comes closer and closer until it's all I can see.

I recognize the stalls of the Floating Market, and judging by the lights and the large crowd, it's probably the music festival. I am soon proved right when a group of dancers climb the stage; five men and one… me.

I can barely recognize myself for a moment, but the green eyes and dark hair are unmistakable. Like Asra had told me, my hair is much longer, pushed back in the front to flow around my back. My skin seems lightly tanner too, and the revealing nature of my clothes makes me flush. Past me doesn't seem bothered though, and she almost looks taller with the way she carries herself through the stage, fixing everyone in the crowd with an intense look. Her eyes stop on mine and she smiles widely, her look warm and affectionate. Curious, I look down at myself and find Asra's hands reaching up towards me. I gasp, pulling at my hair and blinking at the curly white strands I find. 

Shaking my surprise away, I focus back on my past self as she begins to dance and sing, the other men—my brothers, I presume— playing their instruments as they circle around her. 

The way she moves is…intoxicating, and it's hard to grasp my mind around the fact that the woman I'm looking at is me. She seems to glide through the stage with her fluid moves, hips moving along to the beat of the song. Even if her behavior seems different, the voice is unmistakably mine. She sings, soft an alluring, and everytime her eyes meet mine her voice seems to get warmer and raspier. 

The crowd erupts in applause as the song ends, and she does a small bow, leaving the stage to run at me with a wide, breathless smile.

My vision blurs then, and slowly the scene slips away from my mind again.

I open my eyes and find Asra staring at me with a longing, sad look. We're quiet for a moment, the shared memory leaving both of us speechless.

"I... can't believe I actually danced like that," I break the silence, trying to lighten up the mood. Asra laughs, leaning his body back.

"Yeah, you were quite provocative. I always loved watching you dance though."

"Do you think… I could learn to dance like that again?" I ask shyly. He cocks his head at me with a knowing smile.

"Planning a performance, are you?" I can't help but blush, and he laughs. "Maybe. I don't think I could teach you though, you'd have to find someone else."

"What if I learnt from myself?" I suggest, the idea sounding crazy even to me. Asra blinks a few times, caught off guard.

"You mean, through the memories?"

"Well, yes. Since everyone else is… gone, I don't really have anyone that can teach me."

"But how are you going to do that? Do you want me to keep sharing the memory with you until you learn?"

"...no. I don't think that would be fair to you." I say with a sigh. He clicks his tongue, thinking.

"Maybe I can find a way to… lend this memory to you. So you can watch it by yourself."

"Is that possible?"

"Hm. Perhaps," he muses, scratching his neck. "There used to be an artifact that allowed you to take a memory from your mind and leave it there, but I have no idea if those exist anymore." He furrows his brows, and I watch him patiently. "I'll try to figure something out and then I'll get back to you, okay?"

"Alright." We both stand up, and before he can leave I pull him into a tight hug. "Thank you, Asra." 

He chuckles into my hair. "Don't mention it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry Potter reference because why the fuck not. Pensieves are cool as heck.
> 
> Didn't have a particular song in mind this time, but you can have this one:  
https://bit.ly/2jTAlgm


	27. Announcement

"We would like to officially announce to all of you the annulment of our marriage," Lucio proclaims loudly, the crowd below erupting in gasps and whispers. "We have both agreed that this is for the best. The Countess will, however, remain at my side as your beloved leader." The whispers only increase, and Nadia stands up beside him.

"Fear not, my dear Vesuvia. As strange as it may sound, there will be no visible changes to the government of the town. Lucio and I will simply rule together as political partners, instead of marital ones."

The whispering quiets somewhat, and I watch the faces of the people in the crowd. They seem confused, and I can't blame them. They don't know what's going on behind the curtain, after all.

"For transparency's sake," Lucio begins again, driving the crowd's attention back to him. "I would also like to announce to you all," he turns to me with a wicked grin, and I immediately freeze on the spot, "my relationship with the court magician, Allora."

The crowd erupts in noise again, but I can barely hear them over the ringing in my ears. I look down at my feet, knowing that everyone must be staring at me.

"Indeed," Lucio picks up after letting the crowd process his words, "she is the cause for this change. She has captured me, heart and soul, and therefore I could not bear to shame both her and the Countess by keeping this facade."

"Allora has been nothing but a great blessing upon both our lives, and I am thrilled that she might bring much needed light and joy into Lucio's life," Nadia continues, also turning towards me with a soft smile. "Let us wish them both much happiness in their new life together!"

After a moment of perfectly understandable shock, the crowd erupts in applause and celebration. I feel my cheeks burn and my heart hammering against my chest as Lucio takes me by the hand and leads me closer to him, in full view of the crowd below. I give them all a nervous smile, trying not to let them see how much I'm shaking.

With their announcements done, the crowd slowly disperses, though many seem eager to talk to me. Julian and Portia do a great job at holding them off, and I take the opportunity to try and calm my nerves. 

"So, what did you think, babe?" Lucio asks me, pressing close to place a kiss on my ear.

"Nadia wrote your speech for you, didn't she?" I whisper to him, unable to hide my smile when he pouts.

"Was it that obvious?"

"Are you kidding? 'She has captured me, heart and soul'?", Julian joins in with a sarcastic tone. Asra and Portia burst out laughing at his dramatic reenactment of Lucio's lines. "There's no way in hell you'd have written something like that."

"If Lucio had written it, it would probably be more like, 'she's really hot and we're gonna bang!" Portia suggests, and they all laugh again; I can't help but join them this time, seeing the blush in Lucio's cheeks.

"Can't believe mom and dad are getting divorced," Julian jokes as Nadia approaches us, and she shoots him a look.

"Don't worry darling, your father and I love you all very much," she shoots back, and for a moment we're all surprised that she actually joined in on the joke.

"Ew, gross, I don't wanna work for my mom," Portia laughs, and Nadia smiles widely at her. 

"Why not? Do you not enjoy my motherly love?" She places a quick kiss on Portia's cheek, and we laugh at the way she instantly blushes.

"I have to go," Asra cuts in suddenly, giving me a tight hug. "I promised Muriel I'd have lunch with him afterwards, and you know there's no way he'd come out here so I'm gonna have to go to his house."

"Yeah, and Portia and I need to go see Mazelinka," Julian chimes in before turning towards Lucio. "I expect there's gonna be some kind of celebration in the palace?"

"You bet! You all better show up there at night. I won't forgive you if you don't!" He hugs me closer to him with a proud smile.

"Alright, we're off then!"

The three of them leave and I'm left alone with the Counts. Nadia smiles knowingly before stepping away to have a talk with Valerius. As soon as she's gone, Lucio pulls me close into a long, hungry kiss.

"Now you don't have to be so damn nervous every time," he says when he pulls away, licking his lips. I rest my head on his chest, furrowing my brows.

"Is Nadia really okay with this?"

"Of course! She insisted, actually," he exclaims, and I look up at him in surprise. "Yeah, she said I'd be 'doing you a great disservice' or whatever if I didn't tell them. That you deserved better than being my 'secret mistress'."

I smile, wrapping my arm around his. "That's very kind of her. Remind me to thank her afterwards." 

"What about me? Don't I deserve some thanks too?" He whines, lowering his head to nuzzle his nose against my neck.

"Of course you do, my love. But yours comes later."

He laughs, his breath warm on my skin. "Ooh, I like the sound of that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kinda dumb, but I couldn't help it.


	28. Memento Mori

I'm not surprised when he struts into the ballroom wearing the same clothes from his portrait; I had mentioned to him that I liked the painting and I guess he decided to take advantage of that. I can't help but smile as he walks down the stairs proudly, driving everyone's eyes to him.

"Welcome, my dear Vesuvia, to this year's Masquerade! This will be one you'll never forget! Enjoy yourselves!" He proclaims loudly towards the people in the room, and they clap and cheer at his words. He has a quick chat with Nadia before making a beeline at me. Some of the nobles in the room turn to watch as he comes closer, and I'm nervous for a moment, feeling all those judgemental eyes on me. I get so distracted because of them that I gasp in surprise when he lifts me up on his arms.

"There you are! I've been looking for you!" He exclaims, and I feel my cheeks blush, noticing even more people are looking now. He either doesn't notice them or doesn't mind—knowing him, probably the later.

"Lucio, the party's just started, how could you have been looking for me?" I ask him in a hushed tone, and he shrugs, putting me back down. 

"I wanted you to walk into the room by my side," he explains, and I shake my head energetically.

"Oh no. There's no way that's ever happening."

He pouts, putting his arms around me. "Really? you wouldn't do it? Not even for me?"

"I can barely take all the people staring at us right now, nevermind if I walked in with you," I tell him, subtly looking around at all the whispering nobles. He looks too, though in a  _ much _ less subtle way, and laughs out loud.

"Don't mind them! They're just admiring how great we look together!"

I feel my cheeks burn again and I try to hide myself in his chest. He presses his golden hand on my back, tickling me slightly with his fingers.

"You're so cute when you're shy!" He teases, and I huff. He holds my head up so I'm looking into his face as he smirks. "Don't I deserve a little something on my birthday? Come on!"

"Here? In front of everyone?" I ask him, voice nearly a whisper, and he laughs again.

"If you get any more adorable, I'm gonna have to announce to everyone how much I love you. What will it be?"

I pout but relent, reaching close to give him a soft kiss. He's clearly not satisfied though, because he stops me from pulling back and deepens the kiss. I try to pull him away, but it's hard to focus when he's running a sharp metal finger up and down my jaw, sending chills down my back.

I am red as a pepper and out of breath when he finally pulls back, as usual enjoying the state he leaves me in. Thankfully, most of the nobles have averted their eyes at the public display of affection.

"You're unbearable," I tell him once I've catched my breath, and he opens his arms wide with a grin.

"Aw, when you say it like that, I almost believe you."

"Can we go outside for a moment? I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed."

He nods with a dramatic face. "Yes, I have that effect on people."

"Wow, you're really something today, huh?" I tease as he grabs my hand and leads me to the balcony.

"Well, it  _ is _ my birthday,  _ and _ my first Masquerade since I've gotten my body back. I think I deserve it, right?"

I roll my eyes, but rest my head on his chest. "Sure, Milord."

"Hmmm, I do like that. Spoil me a little more, will you?" He pleads, moving my braided hair away to press kisses on my collar bone. 

"Haven't you been spoiled enough?" I tease, yelping when he lightly bites my shoulder in retaliation. "Are you turning back into a goat, Milord?"

He makes a disapproving sound. "Today is not a good day to tease me, little thing." He runs his finger up my back and I shiver at the touch. "I'm feeling pretty unstoppable."

"I can see that." I give him a playful smile, hand in his jaw. "I think I know something that'll change that real fast."

"Ooh?" He exclaims, eyebrows raised and eyes full of mischief. "Well, hit me with your best shot, babe."

I smile before releasing my hand from his face to press both my arms around him in a tight, warm hug. "Happy birthday, my love," I say as soft as I can, looking deep into his eyes with affection.

It only takes a moment for him to blush and swallow dryly with embarrassment, and I can't help but giggle.

" _ Oof _ ," he blurts out simply.

"Asra did once tell me I give the best hugs."

"He's not wrong," he agrees, holding me close and resting his head over my own. "Though I'm sure you save the bestest ones for me."

"Keep telling yourself that, goatman." 

He huffs, turning his head to the other side, making a mess of my hair.

"Are you really gonna keep calling me that?" Even now?"

"Especially now. Consider it your  _ memento mori _ ."

"The hell is a a 'meme mory'?" He asks, pulling away from me, and I laugh.

" _ Memento mori _ ," i correct him, trying to fix my hair. "It means something along the lines of 'remember that you will die'." He makes a horrified face at me.

"Wow, isn't that cheery!"

"It's supposed to keep you from being vain or selfish, by reminding you that, in the end, you're only human. They say that, a long time ago, important leaders would always have a servant with them, whispering that into their ears so that they'd never stray from their path."

"Hm. And I don't even need a servant, my own lover does that for me," he remarks with a sour face.

"Exactly. So by calling you goatman, I'm making sure you never fall into your old ways."

"Thanks, mom," he whines dejectedly, and I laugh, caressing his hand.

"You know I don't mean it like that." I place my other hand on his face. "You've come a long way, and I'm very proud of you."

He pouts, placing his hand over mine. "Come on, this is no time to make me feel emotional. We should be partying!"

"Fine. Let's go party then."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my favorite one!
> 
> I only have a few unfinished ones after these. I'll try to finish and post them, but I can't promise anything. I... kinda had an idea for another story and now I'm more focused on that one. I'll try though!


End file.
